I Choose You
by elaine451
Summary: After Surprise Buffy makes a few different decisions. Not a great summary. Total AU. BuffyAngelus so if you hate this pairing, sorry. Rated M to be safe
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

After "Surprise", Buffy makes some different choices...

* * *

As he entered the room he felt the familiar constriction in his chest at her beauty. "You look lovely." He leaned over to leave a kiss on her shoulder before he turned and fell onto the bed.

"Why aren't you ready?" Buffy nodded at the girl who had fixed her hair and she left the room. Getting up Buffy joined him on the bed. "Are you alright?"

Looking up at the ceiling, he shrugged. "I'm tired of this place. Sorry I even suggested this party." He looked over at her for a reaction, she smiled at him.

"You can be such a little boy. Get ready. I am not doing this alone, these are your friends." She attempted to rise, but he stopped her and pulled her to him. "Umm, hello. The hair?"

"I like it better when you wear it down." He lifted his hand and began to release the pins that held it up. She let him. He was in an odd mood and she really didn't car about the hair anyway.

"What am I going to do with you?" She smoothed her hand across his cheek.

"You asked for this. Never forget this was your choice." His voice was firm.

"I've never regretted the decision. It was mine to make and I made it." She tried to move away from him again but he held her in place.

She looked deeply into his eyes. "What? What is it?"

"Why?" He asked the question, not really sure he wanted to know the answer.

Buffy chuckled at the question. "Why what?" She knew the answer but wanted him to verbalize it for her.

"Why did you choose me? I'm not him." For the first time since they came together Buffy heard a tinge of fear in his voice and it confused her.

Rubbing her face on his shoulder, she whispered into his ear. "You're close enough." He felt her shrug. "And I could never have him."

"So. I'm the consolation prize." His voice was flat and she felt his anger begin to rise.

"You were. You knew that from the start, but then my sweet Angelus you became everything, my everything." She looked up into his face, taking it into her hands so he could see her eyes. "You are my reason for being. I have no regrets. There was no choice."

He looked deeply into her eyes and believed. His thoughts went back to the first time she came to him…

* * *

_The fear, the longing, the anticipation. The lust. They were all there in her eyes, in her very stance. She had shown up on his doorstep a few days after she found out he had lost his soul. Her first attempt at making love to the only man she could ever love had resulted in him losing his soul. She just stood there staring at Angelus, not saying a word, not sure what to say. Not really sure what had drawn her. All Buffy knew was that this was where she had to be. Knowing that he would more than likely reject her, and knowing that more than likely she would have to kill him, she went to him never-the-less. She wanted him, needed him beyond words, beyond thought and he didn't disappoint. He took her in, wordlessly. His desire for her overcame his hate of the emotions she had brought out in his souled counterpart. She made love to him and he fucked her, no real words were spoken, just the noises that came with a volatile coupling. She rose, got dressed and left as silently as she had arrived. After that, she came to him almost every night. And on that last night…_

_"Angelus." She was cradled in his arms after their latest bout of intense, violent sex. He wanted it this way, she needed it. "I can't do this anymore. Not like this."_

_She felt him shrug. "So, what do you want me to say? It's your call lover. But once you walk out of here all bets are off. We become what we were. I'll give you tonight, but after that we're back to it. I'll destroy you." He put his hands behind his head. "If I can't have you nobody can. And I'll make sure nobody ever does." He spoke the words emotionless, his eyes like ice. She felt the change in him and rolled her eyes._

_Shock raced through him when he felt her laugh. A genuine laugh. Only this girl could surprise him. "Oh." She giggled. "I didn't mean it like that." She sat up, her face a bit more somber. "I mean that I can't live this life. Apart. I did it with him for too long. I can't, I won't do it with you."_

_He gave her a hard look. "What is that supposed to mean? You want to move in here?" His laugh was as cruel as the look on his face. "You are really fucked up Buff. You honestly expect a master vampire to shack up with the latest and the greatest slayer? Fucking you is one thing, domesticity quite another." He pushed her away, but she continued to smile at him. Angelus shook his head. "What?"_

_Buffy sat up and allowed the sheet to fall away from her and smiled again at his reaction. He wasn't so immune to her, for all his protestations. "I don't want the slayer to shack up with the master vampire. I want to come with you. Be with you always." She lay back down on her stomach, her chin on her fists. "I am so tired of doing for everyone else. They all say I'm the greatest slayer in recorded history. It's such bullshit. They say it to keep me in line." She looked up at him. "Take me as your mate Angelus. Become my sire."_

_Angelus was speechless. The fact that he had let her live, had taken her into his bed; he had been more than surprised by his actions. He attributed it to the fact that he wanted to stick it to that tight ass Angel. And stick it to the slayer as hard and as much as he could. And face it, the sex with her that one time had been fantastic. Fantastic enough to make soul-boy release his demon, release him. He remembered every second of it and it had made him hate her for making him want her. And now she was asking to become his mate? The thought gave him a hard on and his only thought was he had to fuck her, now. So he pushed her onto her back, his eyes flashing golden flecks causing Buffy to moan before he even touched her._

_"So, was that a yes?" Buffy had been lying in Angelus' arms for the last fifteen minutes, unable to speak before now. This hadn't been an easy decision for her and she had been considering her options for quite sometime. She was unhappy, more than unhappy, she felt that she couldn't go on. Taking risks, pushing her friends away, daring the powers to end her misery. She realized that the only time she ever felt alive was when she was with him. He gave her the reason to keep going day to day. Angelus had become her constant. He didn't depend on her. On the contrary, he was usually non-pulsed by her. But the more time they spent together the more they wanted to be together. The first time he nonchalantly asked her if she was coming the next night, she knew. He wanted her. Needed her? No, he didn't need her and probably never would. But he wanted her and he showed her every night just how much. And she was so tired of being needed, to just be desired meant everything to her. Angel, now he had needed her. Her purity, her nobility, her morality. Angelus, he wanted nothing to do with that. He wanted nothing of her slayer heritage. He just wanted to fuck her. To posses her. And he did. Buffy didn't really remember when it had turned into more. When they began to talk to one another, to share little moments, to just be together. The pure physicality had turned into a relationship that neither one was willing to acknowledge. But one morning she did and that moment of clarity led her here. No one would ever understand. Not Willow, not Xander. Never Giles. But she understood and she knew that if she didn't take this step she would die. A different kind of death, but a death all the same. She'd walk and talk, go through all the motions but inside, everyday in so many little ways, her light would extinguish. Buffy had felt it begin when Angel had gone. She was lost. Being with Angelus had brought her back to herself. And that self, her new self was tired of living for others. She was over saving the world and she just wanted to save herself. And Angelus was that salvation._

_So, here she was. Propositioning the Master of Aurelius. Waiting for his answer. Knowing what it would be and knowing her life as a slayer would soon be over. Maybe there was a prophecy somewhere that warned the watcher's council of this and they chose to ignore it. She didn't know and she didn't care. What she did know was that she was being totally selfish and she had reconciled herself to that fact. Losing Angel had been almost unbearable, but she was damned if she would lose Angelus as well. It had been almost a year since they had begun this life and she was ready to make this her real world. Faith, the new slayer was here now and Buffy was sure Giles could turn her into a great slayer. Actually, she'd probably do better as the only slayer in town, no one to compete with, no comparisons by her watcher._

_Angelus looked down at her, trying to gauge her sincerity. Not that it mattered. He wanted her and eventually he would've turned her. She was making all this easier on him. The fact that she wanted it was gravy. His looked turned predatory and he felt her shiver. "You sure? I'm not gonna refuse you, but you if you try to back out it'll be a lot harder on you. And hey, I'm not gonna lie, that's fine with me too." He chuckled and was surprised by her laughter as well._

_"I'm sure. But you do realize just how powerful I'm gonna be, right? I mean, I can totally whip your ass now; can you deal with a slayer vampire hybrid? Cross me and you'll have to answer for it. Sire or not." Her eyes narrowed. "I can deal with all that you are. But the one thing I will not stand for is infidelity. Darla and Drusilla and Spike may have been into the whole group thing and the sex with whomever, but I won't. Are we clear on that?"_

_Angelus was incredulous. Here was this little girl making demands on him. "Do you know who you are talking to?"_

_"Yeah. Do you know who you are talking to?"_

_"Yes, the slayer who's asked me to turn her. If you think you can make demands on me you can think again. I will be your sire, do you realize what that means?" He hadn't had sex with anyone but her since soul-boy had been the first and he didn't want anyone else. But the fact that she was giving conditions irked the hell out of him. He was Angelus, the Scourge of Europe, the master of the Aurelius line. The vampire who caused villages to cower in homage at his name alone for fuck's sake. And she was making demands on him?_

_"You killed your sire as I remember." She shrugged and her face became stone-like. "Fine. I guess this was a stupid idea. I seem to be living in a dream world." She started to get up but Angelus stopped her._

_"Alright, if you feel the same way once I'm your sire, we'll rethink it. Okay?" He knew that once they were mated it would be forever, but she didn't need to know that._

_"Okay." Buffy paused. "So, if we decide indiscriminant sex is best does that mean I can have as many lovers as I want?" She knew she wouldn't change on this issue, but she wanted to see his reaction._

_Angelus raised one eyebrow and gave her his signature smirk. "We'll talk." Once he had made his mark, once she was his, no other vampire would dare to cross the line with her without his permission. And this was something he would never give._

_"Then, are we on?" Buffy had to smile at her cavalier attitude._

_"Most definitely."_

_

* * *

_

_The rest, as they say is history. Angelus had turned the whole thing into a little ceremony. He had presented her with an antique cream colored lace dress. "Don't wear anything under it." And had lit candles and placed red roses all about the house._

_He had surprised her with all the little touches. It seemed more an Angel thing, which caused suspicion. But when was all said and done, he reverted back to his Angelus persona. Which in a very odd way comforted Buffy. She wanted no reminders of Angel. She had loved him, loved his soul, but he was too pure for her on one hand and yet too filled with self-loathing to ever allow them to have a life together. Buffy realized that a little too late, she had fallen in love with him for all she was worth. As a slayer she was programmed to be self-sacrificing, it would seem. But she would have given it all up for him. Angel on the other hand would've never asked, never expected, never allowed. He would have walked away before he'd let her. That was the difference between Angel and Angelus. And the difference between Angel and herself._

_When she had woken in Angelus' arms as a vampire she didn't really feel all that different, just very free. It had been almost anti-climatic. She could see, smell, hear better. And she felt no pain. No pain at her failures. No pain at her losses. She felt clear. She was Buffy, but without all the whiney baggage, all the indecision, all the questions. She was Buffy, but she wasn't._

_Angelus turned her over in his arms. "So, who shall we kill first? Giles or that pain in the ass Xander."_

_"None of them." She held his face in her hands and looked directly into his eyes._

_"Angelus, promise me, none of them will be harmed. Not the slayer's mother, or her watcher, or her friends. None of them."_

_He looked at her in confusion. The first thing he did when he was turned was to eviscerate all vestiges of his old life. His life, his family. She hadn't called them her own, she had referred to them as someone else's, the slayers not hers. He hesitated, maybe it didn't take quite right. She was turned, of that he was certain, but when he looked into her eyes they were still the eyes of his Buffy. He couldn't see the demon. Then he shrugged, he could deal as long as she stayed. "Alright, I promise. I can do that for you."_

_"And you'll do one other thing."_

_He snorted. "And pray tell, what would that be?" She was starting with the demands again._

_"You will be faithful to me alone." She pushed him onto his back and straddled him. "You will never want or need anyone but me. We may have no souls but we are Soulmates. Accept it." And she proceeded to make a believer out of him._

_

* * *

_

_The night after she had been turned she waited for Giles outside his apartment. She felt it only right she tell him of her new life in person. Angelus was confused once again by the slayers reaction to becoming a vampire. She was certainly freer, but she didn't have the needs, the urgencies a vampire should have. She drank the blood he gave her, but didn't feel the need for the kill. All he was certain of was her need and desire for him, so he just shrugged off the rest. As long as she didn't hold him back he could handle this new gentler form of vampire. So he allowed her to meet with Giles._

_"Buffy, oh thank the gods! We've been so worried. Please, come…"_

_"Stop Giles. Don't invite me in. Come, sit by me. We need to talk." Buffy moved over, making a space for her ex-watcher on the stone bench._

_Her voice was sure, strong. Giles could sense her confidence and something else he couldn't put his finger on._

_"Buffy? You're scaring me. What's this all about?"_

_She turned to him, allowing him to fully take in the appearance of her skin and eyes and gave a harsh laugh. "You don't know? You really do have to get out in the field more, Watcher."_

_It was then he noticed the paleness of her skin, the tiny blue veins running though her jaw line, the eyes, so different than his slayer's. "Oh god, no Buffy. Please, no." Giles let his tears fall unbidden down his cheeks._

_"Oh Giles. Be happy for me. We both knew my death would be unnatural. I just chose how and when. I need to be with him Giles."_

_"Be with him? Be with whom?"_

_She smiled at him, a very un-Buffy smile. "Angelus. I know, I know. How could I do this to Angel's memory? Don't know, I just had to. And now I'll be with him forever. The thing is Giles, being turned was my biggest fear, my nightmare. But it isn't as bad as I thought, actually I feel great." She sobered and moved in close to him, in a hushed tone, she spoke into his ear. "Leave us alone Giles. Don't look for us, don't come after us. I made Angelus promise to leave Buffy's mother and friends alone. But if you try anything, like replacing souls or hunting us down, I won't stop him. And I can't say that I wouldn't join him. I'm a slayer with vampiric strength, very difficult to come up against." She put her hand on his cheek causing him to shiver. "It's odd, I still care for you in a very strange way. But my life is off limits. Don't push me. Fight your fight, but leave us alone." She leaned over and kissed his lips in another very un-Buffy way. "Tell them all, I'm not your Buffy anymore. I'm his."_

_Giles closed his eyes and when he opened them a few seconds later, she was gone. He could smell her soap, lilac, but that was all that was left of his slayer._

* * *

"The party went well, yes?" Buffy was brushing out her hair and looking at her lover. He was still in a strange mood and he wasn't talking. Never a good sign.

Angelus came up behind her. "They can't have you back, you know that." He stilled her hands.

"What are you talking about?" She turned to him and began to unbutton his shirt.

"You think I don't know?" He grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her onto the bed.

"This had better be good Angelus because I am about to so make you sorry for that." Buffy jumped to her feet, ready to fight.

"I saw you with him, with Giles. Are you going to deny it?"

She threw his head back and laughed, causing confusion in him, once again. Buffy was the only one who could do this to him. "You silly boy. Why didn't you ask me about this earlier? It was nothing, which was why I didn't mention it."

"Mention what?" He walked over to her.

She snorted and resumed the removal of his clothing. "It would appear Buffy's mother is quite ill, a tumor in her head or something. Giles thought it would be nice for Joyce if I went to visit her. Give her some sort of comfort, some sort of closure. The stupid cow has never accepted the fact that her daughter is dead." She stopped in her self-appointed task. "Actually, it's sad really. Giles said she scoured the streets looking for me after I was turned. Kinda lost it I guess." Buffy shook her head. "Anyway, that's what it was all about."

"And how did he get hold of you?" His eyes narrowed.

"I have the same cell silly, he just called."

"Oh. So are you going to see her?" Angelus felt a bit of fear creep into him. Buffy had never really embraced the whole vampire life-style. She was an entity all unto herself. Not the same whiney bitch she was as a human, but she had held onto more of her humanity than he liked to think about. And she made him a little less of the master vampire he had been in the day. She never held him back, she actually understood and accepted his perversions, she just wouldn't go with him into those dark places. So, he usually ended up being with her, doing the things she liked to do. And now this, her old life being brought up to her, it frightened him for some reason.

She shrugged as she began to remove her dress. "I don't know. I guess I could. She did give birth to me, after all. Maybe she'd like to be turned, to end her suffering. I could offer her the option."

"No. This is something I will not allow. Visit her if you must, comfort her for all the good it will do. But I will not allow her into our lives. Are we clear on this?" His voice was like steel. He very rarely made demands on her, but he did now.

"Alright Angelus. As you wish." She pulled him into her arms. "Babe, don't worry, it's not my life anymore. They don't want me and I don't want them. I won't see her if that's what you want. Please, don't be angry." She kissed him until he relaxed, until he lifted her in his arms and took her to their bed, until he buried himself deep within her and lost all thought save one. Buffy.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

She looked over at the red head who had been her best friend all that time ago. Buffy's best friend anyway. The girl was nervous, Buffy could hear her heart beating a fast, deep staccato. She had to hide the smile that threatened to spread across her face. Angelus had always accused her of being a failure as a demon. And most of the time she agreed, but at this moment she was relishing the discomfort she was causing Willow. And for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why. Her old self had loved this pale, sweet creature. Maybe that was exactly the reason. Willow reminded her of what she had given up, what she had lost. But she thought of her Angelus and she felt calm invade her senses. It was all the way it should be, she thought.

Setting the cup of coffee back onto the table Buffy looked up at the Wicca. "So, lesbian now? How things change."

Willow looked up in shock. "Well…I… umm…it just sort of happened. I mean…"

"Hey, not judging. I've done some things that would put a permanent blush on that sweet face of yours. Just funny how things can change in a couple of years. I mean really, I'm a fucking vampire and you're a lesbian, weird. Whoda' thunk it?" She gave Willow a bit of a wicked grin over the rim of her cup. Buffy had surprised Willow with a call, asking to meet with her. She wanted to know what was really up with 'her' mother. Was it really as serious as Giles led her to believe or was he attempting to lure her out of her self-imposed exile?

"Yeah," Willow gulped her latte a little too fast and burned her tongue. "Umm, after graduation, after Cordelia's dad lost all their money, she and I moved in together and we…we just sort of happened. Faith, she knew before we did and Oz, well he just took it all in stride. Xander had a difficult time with it for awhile, I mean his best friend and his girlfriend. But he eventually accepted us. Xander's dating an ex-vengeance demon now, her name's Anya. They actually met our senior year. She took off when word of the ascension hit the street. She came back a few months later, after Faith saved us all from the mayor." Her voice softened a little at Faith's name.

Buffy chuckled. "You and Cordy, we thought you two just had Xander in common." Her eyes held Willow's for a moment before she sat up in her seat, changing the subject. "I heard the slayer had died in the ascension. Have you met the new one?" Buffy really didn't care, just small talk. But she wanted Willow to relax before she broached the subject of Joyce.

"No. Actually she's from Italy. Guess she's taking care of another Hellmouth over there." Her voice trailed off. "Umm, we have a really nice Wicca who helps us out, I met her at school. And Wesley decided to stay around after Faith died. We all do our best, but we still miss you." She looked down at her hands.

Buffy shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, well. Have you seen Joyce? Giles said she wasn't doing too well. I didn't know if he was being honest with me, after all I am one of the bad guys."

"Oh never Buffy. You could never be considered that." Willow shook her head. "I know it probably doesn't matter to you, but I always understood why you made the decision you made. I mean, it was extreme, but I understood."

She looked at Willow thoughtfully. "And what do you think you understand? Why do you think I made the decision I made?"

She looked up and shrugged. "You'd found your soul mate and lost him. And then by some miracle you found someone you could love again and you weren't willing to lose him, not again." Willow shook her head. "I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing." Finally looking up at the woman who had once been her best friend, she spoke again. "I think you have to be a woman to understand. Lord knows Xander never will."

Buffy laughed. "Well we all know how Xander felt about Buffy, don't we." She pushed the cup back, tired of the useless liquid. "Now, back to Joyce. Is she going to die?"

The business like quality of Buffy's voice took Willow by surprise. But then she remembered, vampire. Soulless. But not really, not totally. She wasn't as attuned to auras as Tara was, but she recognized something in Buffy that wasn't entirely gone. "Well, surgery was performed, but we won't really know for sure. Not for awhile. She's been acting a little funny, before her surgery she was very bizarre but we attributed that to the tumor." Willow bent in towards Buffy. "She doesn't recognize your sister all the time."

Buffy bent her head to one side in confusion. "Sister?"

"Yeah, Dawnie. Anyway, I think if you could see your way to visiting them it would do Joyce a lot of good." Willow had a hopeful look on her face.

"Okay." Buffy was most definitely intrigued. A sister? Since when? She had to talk to Angelus about this. Someone or something was playing tricks and she wanted to find out whom. "Can you meet us tomorrow night and go over with us?"

"Us?"

Angelus and I. You didn't think my sire would let me go there alone did you?" She opened her purse and laid $10.00 on the table. "My treat. Meet us here at, let's see…what time does the sun start to set? Around six? We'll go over to her house." She rose to leave. "Willow, let her know we're coming. I don't want to shock her."

"Okay. And Buffy? Thanks." She gave her best friend a shy smile.

"Willow. I didn't turn into a monstrous killing machine, 'fraid I've been a bit of a disappointment to Angelus in that department, but I'm not really her. You do know that don't you? I have her memories but not her sensibilities. I mean, part of her is here, but not enough to make it count. Don't forget, don't idealize me. When we left you we did so without a second thought. My only concern was for him and for me. Not Joyce, not Giles, not you. So even Buffy wasn't the girl you thought she was." With that last statement she turned and left Willow.

* * *

Angelus felt her enter the house and went to greet her. "How was your meeting with the sweet, little thing?"

Her eyes zeroed in on him jealously. "Don't even go there lover. But it was interesting. Interesting and weird. Not really your type though, she and Cordelia are lovers." She smiled at his questioning expression. "Yeah, I know, could've knocked me over with a feather. Oh, and by the way, did you know I had a sister?" She stood in front of Angelus reaching up to draw his head down for a kiss.

He put his arms around her. "Sister? Since when?"

"My thoughts exactly." She pulled away from Angelus and went into the library, pulling a book out and thumbing through it. "Remember that group Cletus was talking to us about at the party?" Cletus was an old vampire that continually showed up when he wasn't invited, a habit Buffy was going to break for him. "He was rambling on about seeing, oh I don't know, queer demons and bizarre knights and monks who could change reality?"

"Queller demons and the Knights of the Byzantium? Yeah, but you know Cletus. Actually I'm seriously considering putting him out of our misery. He was way too old when Darla turned him. Still don't know what she was thinking." He shook his head with a small chuckle. "The girl did have a warped sense of humor, gotta give her props for that."

"Please, no words of admiration for the bitch…wait! Here's something." Buffy sat next to Angelus and began to read from the book.

* * *

Willow sat before Cordelia as she massaged the knots out of her shoulders. "I knew I should've gone with you. I can handle the bitch. Like you should even be nervous because she used to be Buffy. She isn't anymore, she's a vamp like any other vamp we dust on a nightly basis. You have to get over that ridiculous worship you always had for her. You and Xander. I have to be honest, when we got together I was so glad she was out of the picture. The last thing I needed was to have to compete with her for you. Xander was bad enough, but the thought of you deferring everything to her would've been too much to handle. She always got everything, little miss perfect 'I save the world as a nightly task, worship me' slayer." Cordelia hated the tone of her voice, she had gotten so much better since she'd been with Will, but all the insecurities she thought she had overcome in regards to the slayer had resurfaced when her lover told her about their meeting.

"Oh baby. There would've never been any kind of competition. I loved Buffy, but never like that." She turned in Cordelia's arms and knelled in front of her taking her face into her hands and kissed her deeply. "Never like this. Not with Xander, not with Oz, never with Buffy. I loved her like a sister, but I love you like my life. I can't even remember life without you sweetie."

Cordelia eased herself down on the bed, taking Willow with her. "I just hate the idea of her coming back into our lives Willow. Her presence still permeates our meetings at Giles'. I don't think he ever forgave himself for Buffy's defection and I think this is just a way for him to try and pull her back in. She doesn't care about Joyce or Dawn, it's just curiosity or some sick game she and Angelus are playing."

"I don't know Cordelia. She wasn't the same Buffy, our Buffy, I know that for sure. But she wasn't all demon. Her aura, Tara would be better at reading it, but it wasn't the same as a demon's."

Cordelia sat up and stared down at Willow. "Oh my god! You're doing the same thing as Giles aren't you? You're going to try to get her back into the fold. Hello! Am I the only one who can see just how dangerous this is? You are going to invite a slayer-vampire and her vampire master lover into her old home where her mother and sister still live. They could do anything at any time to any of us and you're talking auras?" She was incredulous.

Willow reached out to her and pulled her back into her arms. "Baby, please. We are not doing this for any reason other than to try and bring a little comfort to Joyce. Maybe once she sees Buffy, maybe she won't have these crazy episodes with Dawnie. And if Buffy or Angelus wanted us dead, well we'd be dead. An invitation wouldn't matter."

"Oh, that makes me feel so much better." Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"Well, I know something that will make you feel so much better." Willow pulled Cordelia's t-shirt over her head. "Now, get under the covers with me and I'll warm you up."

* * *

"Okay, right here. Knights of the Byzantium are an ancient order assigned the task of destroying the key." Buffy had found the passage she was looking for.

Angelus went to another book on his shelf and held it up to her. He opened the book and looked through it "Tarnis, 12th century, was one of the founders of the Monks of the order of Dagon, their sole purpose appears to have been as protectors of the key. The key is not directly described in any known literature, but all research indicates an energy matrix vibrating at a dimensional frequency beyond normal human perception. Only those outside reality can see the key's true nature." He looked up at Buffy. "Buffy, the monks possessed the ability to transform energy and bend reality."

"Great. And outside of nature? What the hell does that mean?"

"Psychics, crazies." He shrugged. "Maybe people with tumors in their brains and people who live in a houses that are cloaked by an inter-dimensional spell?"

"She must've been sent to the slayer as a sister to be protected. Man oh man, are those monks ever out of the loop or what? Think they have no idea the slayer is dead?"

"You died about 5 years ago, maybe they just read you as dying once and didn't recognize the second time?"

"Makes sense, I guess. So, what do we do? I mean who wants this key and why?"

"It doesn't involve us babe. Go see Joyce if you must, but leave the rest of it to them. They are not a part of our world and we are not a part of theirs." Angelus was adamant.

Buffy shrugged. "Okay." She graced him with one of her most suggestive smiles. "Bed then?"

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. "Oh yeah. Most definitely."

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

The walk to Joyce's house was done in relative silence. Willow and Cordelia walked in front of the two vampires, Cordelia constantly turning her head to see what they were doing. It boggled her mind that the two of them were walking hand in hand just like regular people. Although she remembered what Angel had been like before he lost his soul, she had no frame of reference for Buffy after she had been turned. She dressed better, that was for sure. Cordelia noticed the designer leather pants and cashmere sweater along with the Italian boots she wore. Vampires must be well paid, she thought. But what kind of being she had become was really a mystery to all that had once known her. Buffy had all but fell off the planet when she had chosen to live her life with Angelus. She did none of the things vampires were expected to do, according to her lover. Willow had told her that Buffy was happy to just live her life with Angel, no not Angel, Angelus. Reading, training, even taking trips with him to Italy and Ireland. How they got there Cordelia could only guess. To Cordelia's eyes, Buffy appeared older, not that she had aged at all, just in the way she held herself. The childish banter that still peppered all their conversations seemed to have fled from the former slayer. Although, to be fair, Cordelia really hadn't heard her speak all that much. Angelus did all the talking. 'Does Joyce know we're coming? Who else will be there? We will only stay a short time.' Buffy looked on, totally detached by the whole event it would seem.

Willow had turned to Buffy, unable to believe she let Angelus control the whole encounter. "Are you fine with all this Buffy?"

She smiled at Willow and nodded. "Of course Willow. Angelus speaks for the both of us. Always."

Cordelia took hold of Willow's hand, never so happy in her choice of a life partner. Willow squeezed her hand back, thinking the exact same thing.

So here were the four of them, walking in uncomfortable silence.

"Will you stop turning around. They aren't going to eat us, I promise." Willow was getting a little impatient with her girlfriend. She had wanted to handle this on her own, but when Cordelia found out Angelus was coming along she insisted she be allowed to accompany Willow as well. "It is totally not fair that she can bring her boyfriend and you can't bring your girlfriend. Besides, I don't trust them. I've been working out, I can protect you. Well, somewhat."

Willow had finally acquiesced. "Just don't antagonize them. We're doing this for Joyce and Dawn."

Buffy took a deep unneeded breathe when they turned onto Revello Drive. She couldn't explain the long absent emotions she was feeling. And she knew Angelus was seething because of it. He hated that she had needed to do this. "I have no reason Angelus, it's just something I have to do." He had thought to forbid her, as her sire he had every right. But he knew if he had, she would've done it anyway forcing him to act as the master vampire he was and where his mate was concerned he knew he couldn't.

He could feel the tension in her. Her stance, her eyes, her very scent were laden with anxiety. An emotion she hadn't felt in the three years they had been together. Angelus knew a very large part of this was coming from the unknown sister they were about to meet. This was a big mistake, he felt it in his very bones. But the course had been set and now it was up to him to make sure his mate came out of this unscathed.

"Remember what I said Buff. No emotions. Keep it quick and keep it simple. And no, you cannot offer to turn her."

She gave a small laugh at his reminder. Buffy's mother would never want to be turned, she was much stronger than that from what she remembered. "I wouldn't think of it my love."

Buffy stopped in her tracks as they came upon the house she used to live in. "I'd forgotten how small the house was." She was barely audible, but Angelus heard her. She looked up at him. "Remember how you used to climb up to my room and sleep on the floor?"

"No. And it wasn't your room it was Buffy's and it wasn't me, it was Angel." He glared down at her.

She looked down at the ground. "Sorry, I meant Buffy and Angel. Sorry."

"Let's just get this over with. And when we get home give me that damn cell phone of yours." This hidden vestige of her old life bothered him more than he could say. He strode ahead of her while the other two girls and knocked on the door and impatiently waited. The door slowly opened, revealing a teenaged girl with long hair and eyes that looked suspiciously like his lovers. Recognition flooded her eyes and she jumped into his arms, surprising him and the three women behind him.

"Angel! I can't believe it's you! I should be so pist at you for taking Buffy away from us, but I'm just so happy to see you." She kissed his cheek.

Buffy's eyes narrowed and she gave a slight growl at the young girl being so presumptuous as to kiss her mate. She turned to Willow. "No one told her about us?"

"We wanted to, really Buffy. But your mom always thought you'd come back and she didn't want Dawn to know what had happened to you. She told her the two of you ran away to get married and you were afraid that she and Giles would hate you and…sorry. I should have told you." Willow faltered.

"Great. Just great. Let's just get this over with. And please, get that clingy little bitch off my mate. Now." She allowed Willow and Cordelia to precede her up the porch, afraid that if she got near the girl, she'd rip her head off.

"Dawnie, look whose here." She moved aside so the girl could get a look at Buffy.

"Buffy? Oh my god Buffy." She ran to the woman who used to be her sister. "I'm so glad you're here. I've been so scared and mom's been so ill." She wrapped her arms around her sister's neck and cried, not noticing how cold she was or the anger that was seething beneath her sister's calm façade. Angelus however did. He stood back with his arms crossed over his chest and that half smile, half smirk on his face, waiting to see how his little Buff was going to handle this.

Buffy disentangled herself from the girl and held her at arms length. "Sorry Buffy." Dawn thought Buffy was anxious to see their mother. "Guess you want to get in to see mom. Come on in to the house. I'll make your favorite coffee." She turned to make sure Buffy was following. "Mom always keeps it on hand, just in case."

Buffy hadn't moved, not sure she should. Dawn turned and looked at the both of them. "Come on you two, get in here. Mom'll be going to sleep soon and I know you came to see her." Dawn knew she should be royally pist at her sister and Angel, but she was just so relieved to have her here, finally, she didn't care. Buffy was home and that was all that mattered.

With the invitation including the both of them Angelus took Buffy's hand and led her into the house on Revello Drive. The house that held some interesting secrets Buffy was anxious to learn.

Buffy entered the house that seemed so familiar yet so foreign. This is where she fell in love with Angel, she thought to herself. As if reading her mind, Angelus painfully squeezed her arm. "Don't get all nostalgic on me. Get up there and see her so we can get the hell out of here."

"Buffy, Angelus. We really appreciate your help with this. Joyce…well I think seeing you may set her mind straight." Giles came from the living room to greet them.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Angelus growled, he looked down at Buffy. "Did you know he would be here?"

"No, I didn't" She turned her attention to her ex-watcher. "How could you not tell Dawn what I am? What we are? That was so not fair Giles." Buffy was livid that she had been put in this position.

"Once you are gone I'll explain it all to her. But Joyce never wanted her to know and now, well. It just wasn't on our list of priorities." Giles remove his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose.

Buffy shook her head and shrugged. "Whatever. Okay, so where is Joyce?"

"Up in her room. Do you want me to go with you?" Giles hoped he hadn't made a mistake.

"No, I can handle this." She turned to Angelus. "I won't be long."

As she climbed the stairs, memories came flooding back in waves. _The first day she and her mother saw the house. They had driven up from L.A., Buffy silently crying at the thought of leaving her father, knowing it was all her fault her parents were splitting up. As if reading her thoughts, Joyce had parked the car and turned to her. "It had nothing to do with you sweetheart. This was a long time coming, your father and I were the ones who couldn't keep it together anymore." She leaned over to Buffy and kissed her forehead. "We are gonna make a great life here Buffy. I promise." Joyce had pointed to the house, "So, what do you think of it?"_

"_It's nice. I think we're gonna be just fine here mom." Buffy and Joyce got out of the car and walked into their new life._

Buffy felt Angelus' eyes on her and turned to look see him at the bottom of the stairs. "Do this Buffy, get it over with now or we are out of here." He turned and went back into the living room.

She shook her head and proceeded up the stairs, clearing all thoughts of Buffy's past life. Coming to Joyce's room, she slowly opened the door to see her former mother lying on the bed. Her eyes were closed, but she spoke. "I knew I would see you at least one more time." Opening her eyes she saw the form of the woman who was once her daughter and caught a glimpse of the girl she used to be. "Buffy?"

Completing the walk to Joyce's bedside, Buffy sat down. She looked at the frail woman who had given birth to her and felt a very slight pang in her chest. "I…I'm sorry you aren't well. Giles thought it might help if you saw me again…I don't know…" Buffy felt herself foundering, unable to say the right thing. This was not her, not the woman she had become. This was her old self and it scared the hell out of her.

"Buffy, I told Giles I needed to see you. Please, I know what you are, what you have become. I still love my little girl but I'm not stupid enough to think that you are her. At least not all of her." She took a deep breathe, still feeling weak. "I'm not at all sure I am going to get through this, but something is going on Buffy. Something I can't explain and it frightens me. I need your help. It's about Dawn. Buffy, I'm not sure who she is, where she came from. I have all the memories of her. Giving birth, raising her, all the details, all of them. But Buffy, she's not real. She's not my daughter. She somehow came to us fully grown and I can't talk to anyone about it because all they do is blame it on the tumor." Joyce's panicked eyes pleaded with Buffy to understand.

Buffy nodded in agreement. "I know. I have no memories of her what-so-ever. But for some reason she remembers me. What do you remember right before she came to you?" Buffy was intrigued. She knew she was risking Angelus' wrath, but she had to solve this mystery. Since she had been with him all her time, her whole reason for being was to be his. And she was totally satisfied in her choice, she would never take it back. But she felt that something was missing. She needed to do something, find some purpose. Something besides making love with Angelus and reading and shopping and arranging his parties. She needed something of her own, she just didn't know what.

"All I remember was coming home from work one day and there she was. It was as if she had always been. And everyone else had their own set of memories of her as well. She has a birthday, her favorite blankey from when she was a child, journals she started when she was 7, a whole life. Even Hank remembers her and used to pick the both of you up for visits. Which by the way he doesn't do anymore, no surprise there. Anyway, I started to have moments with no memories of her at all. The first one really scared her, which is why Giles insisted I see a doctor. The tumor must have triggered, or untriggered reality." Joyce moved closer to Buffy and spoke in a whisper. "Buffy, I am afraid something bad, something supernatural is going to happen and no one will hear me. And if I am not here to protect Dawn, what will happen to her?"

"Why do you think it something negative? Maybe the powers wanted to give the slayers mother a daughter to replace the one she lost. I mean, I don't think a slayer has ever made the choice to follow her lover in death like this." Buffy reasoned.

Joyce gave a small laugh. "Oh sweetheart, I wish it were so simple. In the hospital a lot of people were being brought in, all in the throes of insanity it would appear. When Dawn walked past them they became agitated, well more agitated. They said she was a beautiful luminous light. Buffy, they called her the key." She took her daughter's cold hands in hers. "Buffy, I know you owe me nothing, you owe Dawn nothing. But I am begging you, please Buffy. Help me protect her. I don't know what to do, I don't know what's coming. All I know is that it is."

Buffy watched the silent tears of desperation fall from her 'mother's' eyes and felt a tug at her unbeating heart. "Did you explain all this to Giles?"

"I'm afraid he'll just dismiss me because of the tumor. But the tumor is gone Buffy, they got it all but the knowledge is still here." She paused. "Will you help me Buffy?"

Biting her lower lip, Buffy nodded. "Yes, yes I will. But let's keep this between ourselves for right now. Let me do a little more research and then maybe I'll have something to give to Giles." Unconsciously Buffy leaned forward and place a small kiss on Joyce's forehead. Quickly straightening up in confusion Buffy stood up. "Sorry. I have to go now, but I'll keep in touch."

"Buffy. Thank you so much. For the first time since all this has happened I feel a sense of relief, a sense of peace. I know you have no reason to do this for me which is why I am even so much more grateful." Joyce smiled at Buffy.

"Yeah, well. I have to go. Angelus is waiting for me." As she quietly closed the door behind her she spoke. "So, you heard it all I suppose?"

Leaning on the wall, his arms folded across his chest, he replied in a hushed angry tone. "I did. Were you planning on telling me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course. Who do you think is going to help me solve this?" She and walked down the stairs, turning once, "So, are you coming or do you feel like a visit with Joyce?"

Dawn looked up to see the two of them coming down the stairs. Buffy had been up there almost an hour and she was more than a little curious to know what they had talked about. Maybe Buffy and Angel would move in. She crossed her fingers behind her back in hope. She practically pounced onto the two of them, causing Buffy to fight back a smile. "So, how did it go? Are you all made up? Are you moving back? I mean your old room is more than big enough for two people." She grabbed Buffy and Angelus' hands and led them back to the living room. "God, you are so cold Buffy, do you want some coffee?"

"Coffee? Coffee would be good." She tried to give her 'sister' a recognizable smile.

"Oh and Angel. I picked up some blood on the way home from school. Do you want me to warm some up for you?"

Gracing her with his best Angel look he nodded. "That would be great sweetheart."

She slightly blushed and ran to the kitchen leaving the six of them to talk. Xander had joined the group while Buffy had been upstairs. Which was the main reason Angelus had gone upstairs to wait for Buffy? He was sure he would rip the boys head from his shoulders any minute.

Buffy acknowledged his presence. "Xander."

He looked up at her. If anything she was more beautiful than he remembered. Her hair pulled back from her face, her skin like delicate porcelain. "Buffy. Or is it Buffylus now?"

"Boy, watch that tongue of yours or I'll pull it right out of your head. You don't have a protector anymore and I have no compunction to ending your useless life." Buffy put her hand on Angelus' arm to hold him back.

"Baby, calm down. He's just a little boy." She turned her attention to Xander. "The name's still Buffy. But that's all." The cold hard stare she gave him caused him to shiver.

"God Xander, do you have any idea of the concept of self-preservation? Just zip until they leave." Cordelia shook her head.

"Wise advice from the Sapphic boy. You should heed it." Angelus sat down on an armchair, taking Buffy with him.

Cordelia smiled. "Thank you."

Willow winced. "Cordelia."

"What? He may be evil and all but at least he recognizes wisdom."

"Children, please." Giles turned to Buffy. "How did it go with Joyce?"

"Well I think. She said she felt peaceful. I promised to come and see her again. That's all really." She turned to Angelus, "We should probably go."

"Go? You can't go. Look, I have coffee and blood and cookies." Dawn had entered the room carrying a tray, a forlorn look over taking her previously smiling face.

"Buffy, we can't go just yet. Your sister has brought refreshments." He smiled at the young girl.

"Yes, you're right. Besides, we need to talk." She got up and took the tray from her 'sister'. Handing the cup of blood to Angelus, she took Dawn's hand and led her to the chair next to Giles and knelled before her. "There's something mom, something Giles, should have told you…"

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

The walk back to the mansion was just as quiet as the walk to Revello Drive had been. Angelus was not a happy man. He glanced over at Buffy, she was nibbling at the inside of her cheek, a sign that her mind was working double time.

"Just let it go Buff. You are done there. We are done there. Am I making myself clear?" There was a dangerous edge to her mates' voice that Buffy recognized and she turned to him.

"Angelus, please. Let me solve this mystery. I have to know why this girl is. It's not for them, it's for me. It'll drive me crazy for all time if I don't figure out what's going on." There was a pleading in her voice.

"For fuck's sake Buff, these are not people I want you involved with again." He clenched his fists at his sides. She had become more than his lover, his mate. She was his obsession, his life and he feared this little 'scoobie gang' would win her back. As if reading his mind, she chuckled and pulled him into an alley way.

Bracing herself against a wall she pulled him to her. "Oh baby, you are everything. No one, nothing can ever come between us. Not in this life or the next." She unzipped her pants and pulled them down as she turned her back to him. "Do what you will my love."

A low growl emanated from deep within his chest as he quickly freed himself and slammed Buffy into the wall as he roughly took her, biting into her shoulder. She came quickly screaming his name as Angelus spilled into her. He rubbed his lips against her ear. "You are mine, only mine. Never forget. Take care of this Buff, but when it's done they are out of your life forever."

Turning to face him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up to nip at his neck. "Whatever you say." She loved him with her whole being, but she had to smile at how easy he was to manipulate sometimes.

* * *

Dawn was not a happy girl today. Not that she was very often these days. But being lied to by everyone she ever trusted, ever loved. It was almost too much to deal with. She remembered Giles soothing voice as she cried on his shoulder.

"_Little one, it is only because we wanted to protect you. What good would it have done? You couldn't have gone to her. You couldn't have changed her mind. It was done and we did what we thought was best at the time." He smoothed her hair and glared at Buffy._

_Buffy snorted. "Best intentions? Right Watcher. Aren't you the one who told me the road to hell was paved with them? You wanted her to keep believing there was a chance Angelus and I would move in here and make a little cozy home for her? She's knows about life on the Hellmouth, it makes you grow up fast. At least give her a little credit." Buffy turned to Angelus. "Let's go."_

_He stood to his full six foot one, looking more like a ten foot god to Dawn. "Do you have to go?" She sniffled. "I mean, I know you may not be them, but you did come…"_

_Angelus smirked. "It was all an act kid. An act that these wonderful paragons of virtue here," he waved his hand over the assembled group, "perpetrated to protect the little princess. Said princess being you. But it's over now." He put his arm around Buffy._

_Dawn stood and went to the two of them. "Buffy, you told mom you'd come back. Will you?"_

_She studied the young girl for a moment, she almost had a memory of her. "Yes, I promised and I will."_

"_When?" Dawn was almost begging._

"_Whining is a very unappealing trait Dawn. Lose it." She picked up her coat. "Joyce knows I'll be back."_

Mulling over the events of the past week, Dawn walked with her head down, a million thoughts buzzing in her brain. When she woke up this morning she knew she had to get away from everyone or go crazy. Everyone was watching her, waiting for her reactions to everything. So, she snuck out while her mother was at the hospital for tests and just walked. She felt a cold breeze and looked up. Oh shit, she thought, the sun's starting to go down. She looked around and realized she had walked to the business district of Sunnydale. It would take her at least 45 minutes to get home and it would be totally dark in less than 15. Pulling her cell phone out of her pocket she realized she hadn't charged it in a couple of days. Damn. She pulled the collar of her coat up to her chin and started the walk back home. Her mom had undoubtedly called Giles and he was probably driving around looking for her. If she stuck to the streets they usually haunted she was bound to run into someone. She hoped.

Buffy had seen the girl the on her way to Revello Drive. She had stopped by Willie's for a little pick-me-up and upon leaving saw the little twit making her way down the street. Head down, shoulders hunched, all set to be a tasty morsel for a fledgling. She had shrugged her shoulders and started the car, deciding that if the girl had a death wish, far be it from her to deny it. Her promise to Joyce would be moot and she could start making things better with Angelus. However, after a moment she stopped the cars' engine and opened the door. She thought she might as well see who was going to end up eating the little thing. Couldn't hurt. She followed her on foot for a few minutes, staying in the shadows, she had a good view of all the creepies and crawlies that were coming out to lay claim to the tender bit.

The large vampire had come out of nowhere. Hmmm Buffy thought to herself, does Angelus know about him? No matter. He obviously wasn't an inch of her sire if he had to pick off a small fry like Dawn. Buffy rolled her eyes as she saw the Summers girl attempt to fight him off. She actually was making a good show of herself even if she couldn't win.

Buffy leaned against a garbage bin and coughed to get the big guys attention. He looked up, not really giving her much notice. "I'll deal with you in a moment cupcake. Gonna have this little appetizer. I'll save you for later."

"It's true what they say you know?"

"And what would that be girlie?" She had piqued his interest.

"The bigger they are the harder they fall and the stupider, well the quicker." Buffy rammed her fist through the vampires' chest and pulled out his unbeating heart before he had time to make a single move. She quickly fanned away the dust and shook her head at Dawn. "Guess smarts doesn't run in the family, huh?" Buffy turned and started to make her way down the street. Without looking at the girl she asked, "Are you coming?"

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Dawn picked herself up and followed. "Yeah, but you know I so had the whole thing under control. I was lulling him into a false sense of…"

"A false sense of 'I'm gonna eat you in 10 seconds instead of 2?'. I'm going to see your mom, so if you want to make it back to your house let's go. Now!"

"Jeez, you're even bossy as a vampire." Dawn fell into step next to Buffy, casting a sideways glance at her. She didn't seem upset or angry. She actually looked a little bored. "I didn't mean to go this far away from home, not this late. I just lost track of time."

Without breaking her stride she shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Just want to get this visit over and get home to Angelus. He's a little peeved at me and I need to make it up to him tonight." She retrieved the keys from her pocket and opened the doors. "Just get in."

* * *

"Buffy, thank you so much for bringing Dawn home." She gave her errant daughter a stern look. "We had no idea where she had gone."

"She's a bit of trouble. Might want to think of nailing her windows shut and locking her in. She obviously has no idea of what self-preservation is." Buffy stood next to the window in Joyce's room.

"Umm hello? 'Bit of trouble' standing right here." Dawn crossed her arms, a petulant expression on her face. "I so had the whole situation under control…"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah right. Let's do a reality check." She snorted. "A little thing like you could so over take a 275 pound vampire. He was stupid, but not that stupid." She walked up to the younger girl, facing her eye to eye. "You are not the slayer."

Narrowing her eyes, Dawn replied. "Neither are you."

"No, I'm not. I'm better. Stronger. Smarter." Buffy smirked at her 'sister'.

"Girls, please. No arguing." Joyce swung her legs out of bed and reached for her sweater. "Buffy, thank you again for rescuing Dawn." She cast another glance at her younger 'daughter'. "Dawn, thank Buffy and then go to your room. I know you have Spanish and History tests tomorrow. Study."

"Yeah, okay." She sullenly thanked Buffy and left.

"Sorry about that Buffy. Please, come downstairs." Joyce turned, leaving Buffy to follow. "Why don't you sit down while I make us some tea?" Joyce went to the kitchen and Buffy followed her.

Sitting on a stool she looked at the woman who used to be her mother and tried to sort out the emotions simmering just below the surface. Angelus would be so angry at her. "Don't get sucked in Buff. If I see that you are, I will end it. If it means killing the lot of them I'll do it without a second's hesitation." She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

"Actually, I just stopped by for a moment. I wanted to let you know that I did come up with a few things but I wanted to run them past Giles. That's where I'm off to."

Joyce turned to look at the young woman who used to be her daughter and stared for a moment.

"What?" The look on the older woman's face made Buffy squirm a bit. She wasn't accustomed to the feeling.

"Oh, sorry. It's just for a moment you sounded so much like her. I'm sorry." Joyce turned back towards the sink, running her hand over her eyes.

"I'm not her Joyce. I won't lie to you. There are traces. Traces I didn't even realize. You…you make me face up to them. But, I'm not her." She rose to leave. "Once I've seen Giles one of us will let you know what's what."

"Buffy. Will I see you again?" There was a tinge of hope in her voice.

"I don't know." Buffy took a last look at the woman who had been her mother. "I just don't know."

* * *

Buffy entered Giles apartment and looked around. "You really haven't changed a thing have you Watcher?"

"No, I suppose not." He watched his former slayer make a circle around his living room, her walk cat-like. A predatory gleam in her eye. She stopped in front of him, inches from his face. She lifted her hand to his face and ran it down his jaw.

"You have aged well. It's really so unfair that certain men become so attractive and distinguished with age while most woman just give in to gravity." She smiled at him wickedly. "Did you ever think of her in that way Giles? Buffy was young, innocent, but she was very hot. In the middle of the night, right before you nodded off, were there ever any thoughts of fucking her?"

"Baby, now is that any way to talk to your ex-paternal figure?" Angelus walked in from the kitchen.

She smiled at her lover, not surprised by his presence. She had felt him the moment she had parked her car and wanted to make him pay for following her. "Well, I was just curious." She gave her attention back to the watcher. "Well, are you going to answer me?"

Choosing to ignore the question, Giles pressed on. "There was something you needed to discuss with me?"

Buffy laughed. "Ever the proper English prig. But yes, I have…" she looked over at her lover. "I suppose I should say we have something very interesting to discuss with you…"

Giles read over the notes and passages Buffy and Angelus had marked and shook his head. "We all thought the memory lapse was because of Joyce's tumor. We had no idea the tumor would cause her to see reality."

Angelus sat back on the couch, seemingly bored by the whole encounter. "Oh watcher, what's reality anyway?"

"Angelus, please, no existential sermons today. This may involve all of us." She turned her attention back to Giles. "Dawn may seem real to you and the rest of the world, but from what I can tell she came into existence a mere few months ago." Buffy say next to Angelus and picked up one of the books she had brought. "Just what do you know of hell gods and keys?"

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

Thumbing through one of the books, Giles stopped and sat down. "They speak here of the beast."

Turning her attention away from Angelus' warning glances, she responded to Giles. "Yeah. Stong, fast, hell-god."

He closed the book and looked up at the two of them. "Yes, from a demon dimension. It ruled with two other hell-gods. Along with the beast they were a triumvirate of suffering and despair. Ruling with equal vengeance. But the beast's power grew beyond even what they could conceive. As did her lust for pain and misery. They looked upon her, what she had become ... and trembled." Giles rose, pacing, fear emanating from his every pore.

"Not such big deals these gods, if they can be afraid…" Angelus gave Buffy another angry look, which caused her to lose her train of thought. Buffy tried not to let the fear she was feeling show in her eyes. She could actually care less about a stupid hell- god at the moment, too consumed with thoughts of how her sire would make her pay for her real or imagined transgressions.

"No, Buffy, you don't understand, such was her power that she struck fear in all gods and men alike. But the other hell-gods, they feared she would attempt to seize their dimension for herself, and decided to strike first. A great battle erupted. In the end, they stood victorious over the beast ... barely. She was cast out. Banished to this lower plane of existence, forced to live and eventually die trapped within the body of a mortal ... a newborn male, created as her prison. That is the beast's ... only weakness."

Angelus rose, motioning for Buffy to joining him. He pulled her to his side, "So, what's the big, old man? Kill the man and the god dies."

"Not so easy. The identity of the man has never been determined."

"So, are we looking for a man? A man who also happens to be a beast?" Buffy was giving Giles suspicious consideration. "And how do you know so much about all this? You never discussed this with your slayer. Don't you think you should've run this by her?"

"Well yes, the council was privy to information regarding the beast, but we were sure the mortal vessel was containing her without incident since nothing has been heard of her. It would appear we were mistaken." Giles walked over to several volumes on his shelf. "If you are interested, here is all the information we have on the beast."

Buffy sat down. "Why don't you just tell us about her. Do you know about the key and why they chose the slayers so-called sister to carry it?"

Still standing, Angelus walked over to Buffy. "Get up. We're leaving. This is not our fight." Buffy began to rise.

"Angelus, if you feel this is not your fight, you are mistaken. The hell dimension that the beast wants to open up has no respect or fear for the likes of you. In this dimension for all intents and purposes, you rule over your domain. In the beasts', all creatures of our dimension, human and demon alike either bow to her or die a horrible death. It is a god Angelus. It has no fear, it has no compassion, it has no consequence. It would squash any one of us as easily as it would an ant. Either worship or die." Giles voice was filled with dread.

Angelus sat down, pulling Buffy with him. "So what is it that you propose old man?"

Giles shook his head. "I need to contact the council. I think a trip to England may be in order. No one except you and Joyce know what Dawn is and I think if we can keep her identity a secret perhaps we can wait this out." He looked at the both of them. "I know you owe us nothing, but could you please keep an eye on Joyce and Dawn while I'm gone? If for nothing else to help keep the status quo?"

Buffy looked to Angelus to answer.

Without looking at her he answered for the both of them. "Yes, but once this over there will be no more contact with Buffy. Are we clear on that? She isn't a part of your life anymore. We'll deal with this so called god and then we are gone from your life."

"Yes." With a tinge of sadness but mostly resignation in his voice Giles agreed. "I never thought anything else Angelus. I'll try to get a plane out of the country tomorrow, so if you could look in on them after that point…"

"Yeah." Angelus took Buffy's cell phone out of his pocket and handed it over to her. "Buffy'll keep in touch." He took her arm and pulled her up. "We're out of here. Let us know when you get back."

* * *

The ride back to Crawford Street was done in relative silence. Buffy could feel Angelus stewing but was too afraid to confront him about his anger. She knew he felt she was being too responsive to her old life. And maybe in a way she was. She was drawn to the girl who was supposed to be her sister, drawn in a way that was unnatural for a vampire. But the need to protect Dawn was there and it was too strong to fight. She was trying to disguise it, but her lover knew her too well and whatever his reaction to it would be she wouldn't even hazard a guess.

"So Buff. How do we handle this?" His voice smooth and sure.

"What do you mean?" Her question was honest, she was unsure of meaning.

"I won't let you go back to them, you know that. How do we handle the time you need to deal with this? I know you have feelings for the girl, for the mother. How can I trust you with them?" His eyes were straight ahead as he parked the car.

"Angelus, I want to protect them. For some unknown reason I feel this need to protect them. But once this is over, once we have defeated this beast for them there won't be any need to protect her, them. It'll be over. I promise." She leaned into him. "Angelus, all I want, all I have ever wanted is you. Please my love, please believe me." She whispered into his ear.

His hand shot out behind her head as he grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back. "You are mine, never forget. You do this because I allow it. You will not be alone with them, ever. You will not make promises to them, ever. I will be with you at all times. Are we clear on this lover?" He spoke into her ear as he increased the pressure of his grip.

Buffy closed her eyes, fighting the tears that threatened to fall as he continued to pull her hair. "Yes. Whatever you say Angelus." She choked out.

He released her hair and pushed her back on the seat. "Good." Angelus looked down at her and began to unbuckle his belt and unzip his pants. Buffy lifted her hips and pulled her skirt up. "Uh uh." He shook his head. "Roll over Buff." She looked up into his cold eyes before she obeyed. "That's my girl."

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

Willow walked into the bedroom carrying two cups of coffee and a danish to share with her lover. Cordelia was just waking up, still groggy from a great night's sleep. She smiled up at Willow as the red head put down the cups and leaned over to kiss her. Cordelia's arms wound around her neck, pulling her down by her side.

Willow giggled. "Sweetie, I have to get ready for class." She regretfully pulled away while Cordelia sat up, piling pillows behind her back and letting the sheet fall to her waist revealing the most perfect breasts Willow had ever seen. She raised one eyebrow. "Are you trying to tempt me?"

With her most innocent smile Cordelia whispered. "Could I?"

Fighting the heat that coursed through her body, Willow sighed. "Babe, I really have to get to class. Professor Walsh is a stickler and I have a perfect attendance record so far. But I'll be back early. We're going to Joyce's later, remember? We're meeting Buffy and Angelus." She walked to the closet and began removing various sweaters to wear with her skirt.

Cordelia took a drink of her coffee. "I still don't see why Giles thought it was necessary to bring them back into this. We've taken care of things just fine since Buffy Skywalker decided to go over to the dark side. We so do not need them."

"It seems to comfort Joyce. And Dawn. Plus, I think something is going on that they haven't told us about. Something to do with Dawnie. I can see it in their eyes. Joyce, Giles. Even Buffy and Angel." She stopped to look at Cordelia's reaction.

"I don't know Will, I think you're reading discomfort at having soulless demons in the house as something covert. I know they make me feel like bathing in holy water and garlic and tattooing crosses over my entire body." She reached for the pastry as Willow walked over to her.

"You know, you do make sense. I guess I'm looking for goblins where there aren't any." She rubbed her hand across Cordelia's stomach, causing a sharp intake of her breathe. Cordy pulled the sheet off of her body and put down the Danish as she pulled Willow down on the bed.

"School can wait. You haven't missed a single class and you can get notes from that farm boy. I need you. Now." Cordelia pushed the silk robe off of Willow's shoulders and ran her hands over her body. "You're a genius, you can catch up."

Willow shivered and let Cordelia do her will. "I guess I can miss one class. After all, I must look to the needs of my significant other." She let her push her back on the bed as she lost herself in the wonders of Cordelia.

* * *

The young doctor had been living a nice, uneventful life for the past 29 years. He had done well in school, but not too well. Had been popular, but not too popular. Had dated nice girls, but no one exceptional. His life had been uneventful and he liked it that way. When he had been offered a residency at Sunnydale Memorial Hospital he felt it was the right thing for him. Not the most prestigious of hospitals, but a good, solid opportunity. If he did well he could move on to something better. But if he liked it, if he fit in, if he blended, well, he just might stay.

The first time Glory had made her presence known to him, he had been in the eight grade. Chasmin Garret had cornered him at a pool party and wanted to make out. Ben hadn't even thought of the possibility of something like this happening to him, but when an opportunity such as this presented itself he wasn't fool enough to let it pass him by. So he ended up with Chasmin, in the back of the family tool shed with his hand on her bikini clad breast and a hard on the size of a roman candle. That's when he heard the voice.

'_Go on Benny boy, do whatever you feel. She's just asking for it after all, she's yours for the taking.'_

The thing was, Ben hadn't even considered more than a few kisses and a lucky feel. But the voice had more in mind and he almost listened. He ended up stopping and thanking Chasmin, but if they didn't stop now he didn't know if he ever would, he told her. Chasmin had been quite taken by his chivalry and a few years later had been the one to take his virginity.

But the voice. He'd hear it periodically over the next few years and it always left him feeling powerless. Ben knew it was separate from him. He also knew he wasn't schizophrenic, so what was it? Who was it? His questions were answered in a dream. Never one to be fanciful or believe in signs, he knew the dream was more than his subconscious cleaning out junk from the days events. The voice, Glory, was a prisoner within his body. He was in control but she was housed there, all the same. And he planned to stay in control. He had worked hard for the life he had and no sick bitch, one-time god was going to ruin it for him. Of course, he had never heard of the Hellmouth.

* * *

Dawn Summers had never liked hospitals. But now she absolutely hated them. They smelled weird and misery hovered everywhere, she thought. Biting her thumb nail to the quick she waited for her mother to come out of her latest round of x-rays.

"Miss Summers?" The young doctor interrupted her dark reflections.

"Oh. Doctor…" She had forgotten his name, or maybe she had never known it. There seemed to be so many of them.

"Just call me Ben. Your mom wanted me to let you know she'll be about another hour and she suggested that you may want to call, umm I think in was Xander or Willow?" He smiled sympathetically at her.

"No. I've waited this long another hour doesn't really matter." She stood up and fished a dollar out of her pocket. "I think I could use a coke though."

"I'll take you to the cafeteria. My treat." He fell into step next to her.

She smiled up at him and bumped into the back of a wheelchair. "Oh gosh, I am so sorry… Mr. Beller? It's Dawn. Dawn Summers." Dawn looked over at Ben, "It's our mailman."

The man looked up at her, a blank look on his face.

"What's wrong with him?" She asked the doctor standing next to her.

"Seems to be an epidemic of brain disorders. Quite unusual."

"Nothing ever seems very unusual in Sunnydale." She turned back to Mr. Beller, "Hope you feel better soon." As Dawn turned to follow Ben, the mail man grabbed hold of her arm.

"Oh, the light! Such a beautiful green light! It's so pure! Pure green energy!" He seemed happy, almost at peace, but his grip was firm.

Panicking, Dawn looked to Ben for help. "What should I do?" She tried to pull away, but the man was having none of it.

"Such purity…" Finally a nurse came to assist the doctor and Dawn.

"Now Mr. Beller, you have to let the pretty…" she looked up at Dawn. "the pretty green girl go, she has to light up the skies."

"Yes, yes. Light up the world."

The nurse motioned to Ben to take Dawn away. "I'll take care of him doctor." She looked to Dawn. "I am so sorry miss."

Ben seemed almost as shaken as Dawn. Oh my god, he thought. The key, the key is a girl. The key is Dawn. "Dawn, you have to leave. You have to leave now. Before she finds out."

Confused, Dawn could only stare at Ben. "What are you talking about? Who finds out? Finds out what?"

* * *

It was odd, this life of hers Buffy thought. She shifted, the weight of Angelus' arm and leg holding her in place, giving her a feeling of security. Looking at his face, so calm, so innocent in sleep, it was hard to believe the demon her lover really was. He had shown her last night just how cruel and heartless a master he could be. And here was the really odd thing. She reveled in all of his perversions of her. What had started out as a punishment had ended in a twisted game of pleasure and pain. Her demon had rejoiced and Buffy had as well. Running her lips across his ear, she marveled at the intense feelings she held for this man, this demon, this beast. Mine, she thought.

Rolling over on top of Buffy, Angelus gazed down at her. He felt guilt at his treatment of her and he despised the emotion. And he despised her making him feel it. But his desire, his obsession, alright, he'd admit it to himself, his love for her out-weighed it all. She smiled up at him, her eyes filled with that same love.

"What's going on in that beautiful head of yours lover?" Angelus queried.

"Oh sweet man, if I told you you'd only beat me again." She giggled at his guilty frown. "I'm just joking. All the wounds have healed and the pain is just a wonderful memory."

"A wonderful memory, huh? I have to remember that next time I have to reprimand you." He pulled her close to his side. Buffy breathed in deeply of his scent, smiling at the smell of the two of them mixed together. No other vampire would ever dare try to come between them, so intermingled had their essence become. This was her life, what was she doing even thinking those people from Buffy's old life had any import? But a promise was a promise. And a hell god was a hell god. And she did not want one interfering in her life.

"I guess we should get up and head over to Joyce's." Buffy got up as Angelus watched her.

"Get ready then. I have a few things to do before we go." Angelus grabbed his robe and headed out the door. Buffy held his arm.

"Are we alright?" There was concern in her voice.

Angelus' first impulse was to make her squirm, but he wasn't in the mood for it after last night. "We're fine. We'll always be fine Buff. If we aren't one of us will be dead." He turned and continued for the door.

Buffy stood in place for a moment, unable to place her feelings. Then it came to her. Fear. Fear that he would lose patience with her. Would stop wanting her. Would stop loving her. He was right. If they weren't alright one of them would be dead. Or perhaps both.

* * *

"Took you long enough. Did you have to boff the girl all day? I mean Angelus, the two of you do live together. You can fuck her anytime." The bleached blond man stood to look at his grand-sire.

"Shut the fuck up Spike. Do not ever talk about my mate like that." He looked down at the younger man, anger contorting his face.

"So I suppose asking if I can bed the wench is out of the question?" Spike smirked at the master vampire.

"Only you Willie could get away with asking that. But only once." Angelus sat down at his desk. "Now, did you get the information I asked for?"

"Yeah, but I had to suck my way through half this bloody hell hole." Spike tossed down a folder and Angelus opened it. It contained several photos of a young man, in his mid to late twenties, usually in O.R. scrubs.

"So, he's a doctor? Are you sure he's the one?"

"The sorceress gave me a potion that was supposed to lead me to the male child who was a vessel and this is the one. Besides, I saw him having a heart to heart with a bumpy little demon that seemed to revere him. No regular doctor type would do that." Spike shrugged. "Okay, Hellmouth, so maybe. But with the potion and all, tend to think he's the one." He threw himself on the nearest couch. "Did I do good Peaches?"

"You did good Spike." He smiled at his grand-childe.

"So, for my reward can I have a go at the ex-slayer?"

"No, but I will let you live despite the fact that you just asked me that." The cold look on Angelus' face caused Spike to shiver.

"I was just having a spot of fun mate. No harm done, can't a vampire have a bit of a joke with his grand-sire?"

The door opened as Buffy seemed to glide in. "Oh, it's only you." She cast a half glance at her fellow vampire. Spike openly admired the picture she made in her tight leather pants and snug white t-shirt.

"My grandma, what big…" His eyes strayed down to her breasts before returning up to her face. "…eyes you have."

"That wasn't what you were looking at you pig." She turned to Angelus. "What's he doing here? And is that crazy bitch with him?"

"Now, now sweetheart." He cast Spike a warning glare. "Spike has brought us some very interesting information."

"And what would that be?" She looked over at the younger vampire. "Did you finally leave Drusilla out in the sun to play?"

"No, I solved your hell god dilemma, thank you very much." Spike tipped his head in a mock bow.

Buffy came to stand behind Angelus and looked at the photos he held. "So, this is the man we need to kill. This is gonna be so easy." She hugged Angelus. "Thank you. You are such a genius."

"Hello, I'm the one who showed up with the info. How about a little gratitude thrown this way?" Spike was hurt.

Buffy smiled at the blond vampire. "Thank you Spike." She turned back to Angelus. "You need to get ready so we can go to Joyce's house."

Angelus stood and tossed the photos back to Spike. "I want you to find a couple of guys and go and take care of this doctor."

"Hey! Since when did you become my lord and master? You can't just order me around. I am not your minion." Spike bristled.

"I'm not ordering you, I'm hiring you. You'll get paid. Now do you want the job?"

"Oh. In that case, he's dead." Spike tuned once before he headed towards the door. "You do want him dead, right?"

"Oh yeah. Real dead."

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

Joyce seemed to come to her out of a fog. "Mom? Where are we?" Dawn was confused. She was in a darkened room, alone except for the ethereal form of her mother.

"Sweetheart, you have to be strong. Things are going to happen and you are going to have to be very strong." She had walked over to Dawn and laid a cool hand on her cheek.

"You aren't her, are you? You look like her and you sound like her but you aren't her." Dawn knew she should be frightened but she wasn't. "Am I dreaming?"

"In a way. You're asleep but this really isn't a dream. I'm here to help you, to give you guidance. To help you realize what you already know. You are going to have to make quick and smart decisions Dawn. You are going to have to decide what the most important thing is."

Dawn shook her head in attempt to wake up.

"It's not time for this to end yet. When it is I'll wake you but you must not act rashly. You must use your gifts my dear." The Joyce image sat next to her.

"I'm just a kid. I don't have any gifts. You do, you fix everything. Your mom. Giles, he has gifts, he knows everything. And Willow and Cordy, they have gifts. Willow is a powerful witch and Cordy, well she's Cordy. Her gift is to balance Willow. And Buffy, she had the greatest gift of all, she saved lives. She saved the world. But me, no I have no gifts." Dawn hung her head as she felt her eyes begin to sting.

"You just stop that right now young lady. You just haven't found your gift yet. But you will." She put her hand under Dawn's chin and pulled her face up to meet her eyes.

Joyce began to fade right before Dawn's eyes. "It's time to wake up sweetheart. Remember what has passed here and take strength from it. You were created from the strongest stock and you can handle anything put before you. Never falter in this belief. You are a gift."

Dawn held hand out, trying to keep her from leaving. "Mom, not yet. Please don't go."

Dawn slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the brightness and her surroundings. What was it her dream mother had said? 'You were created.' Not born, not made, but created. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. There was something she should know but it was just out of her grasp. She turned her head slightly, trying to figure out where she was, trying to move slowly enough so no one would know she was awake.

"Oh sweetie, you can cut the play acting. I know you're awake, I can smell the wood burning in that little brain of yours." A woman who was way over-dressed walked over to her. "Well, you are a little cutie, aren't ya?"

"Did Ben bring me here?"

"Ben did his gosh darnedest to keep you from me, but face it I'm a god and I know just about everything." She looked down at her finger nails. "Damn, that freaky boy made me break a nail." She shook her head. "Oh well, luckily I have strong bones and my nails grow very fast. Jinx! Come and do my nails, now! And bring me a snack, that little blond will do." She turned to look at Dawn. "She has brains to spare, that one does, but I'll take all of them."

"What? Brains? A god?"

"Focus little girl. Those pesky adults didn't tell you about me or about you did they?"

"Why am I here? If you're trying to use me to get to Buffy you are so out of the loop. She won't care what happens to me." Dawn felt as if she were about to cry, but she fought it.

"Buffy? The old slayer? Oh no my dear. I need you just for you. You my sweet little girl are my way home. I suppose it's up to me to tell you what you are."

"What I am? What do you mean? I'm Dawn Summers." Dawn's stomach began to knot and she felt a cold sweat sweep over her. "What am I?"

"You my sweet Dawnie are the key. My key. The key that will open the interdimensional portal that will allow me to return to my world." She smiled triumphantly. "And Ben found you for me."

"I…I don't understand. So I open the portal for you and you leave? Is that all? You could've just asked."

"You are just as cute as a button." She smiled at the girl. "But no, I'll need to bleed you to open it up. Once I open it sweetie, it stays that way. This boring place you call home will become my dominion as well." Her voice faltered and she shook her head. "Which is only right since the people here really haven't been all that nice to me." She swayed and held onto the couch. "Damn! Not now Ben!"

Before Dawn's eyes the woman changed, morphed into Ben who rushed over to her side. "Oh my god Dawn. Are you alright? Did she do anything to you? We have to get you out of here before she comes back. Quick."

Dawn was very confused. Wasn't that woman just here? She looked around, where had she gone? "Where is she Ben? She said you found me for her. Do you work for her? Are you evil? Who are you? And why the hell are you wearing a dress?"

"Never mind, you know me Dawn. It's me, Ben. We need to get you out of here before she regains her strength and comes back. Now hurry!"

* * *

Ben had led Dawn out of the warehouse and onto the street. "You have to run Dawn. Try to find somewhere safe. I don't know how much more I can help you. Go to your mom, she can find someone to help." Ben felt a fine sweat break out over his brow, he was beginning to lose control again. "You have to leave now. Run Dawn, run far and fast!"

Dawn felt the familiar pinpricks behind her eyes, but she fought them back and ran. She ran through the downtown district and up the hill past the park. Before she knew it, she was on Crawford Street. The street where Buffy and Angelus lived. Over the past week she had found herself here, trying to determine just how to find their home. Giles said it was hidden by an interdimensional spell. If she could get in now she would be safe while she tried to figure this one out.

"Buffy!" Maybe if she just called out to her, Buffy would hear her. It seemed silly and frantic, but that was just what she was feeling right now. "Buffy!"

"Well, hello poppet. You looking for Angelus' bitch?" Spike had seen the young girl when she had run up to the corner, the sun was starting to set and most of the street was in shadows. Good for him, not so good for the girl.

"Do you know Buffy? Do you know how I can get in to see her?" She was pleading, unshed tears making her eyes luminescent.

"That's not really the question poppet. Would she want to see you? And do I really care? You would make quite a nice snack." He smiled at her and felt her shiver. Very nice, he thought.

"She used to be my sister and she's coming to my house tonight. Please, just tell her I'm here and I just got away from a hell god. Please. You can eat me if she doesn't want to see me. That would be better than having Glory catch me again." A tear escaped from her eye and Spike was lost.

Why oh why am I such a pussy when it comes to women in distress? Okay, so she was a girl, but still…Drusilla was such a loser as a sire. The crazy bitch couldn't get it right, ever.

"Come on then. If I leave you out here who knows what ghoulie will come out for a nibble." He took her arm and led her to a trail that stopped at a huge oak tree. But instead of stopping he just kept walking. She hesitated, but he just pulled her along, both of them passing through a mist that ended up at a large, ornate door. "The master's lair." He said with a smirk. He began to open the door.

"Shouldn't we knock?" Dawn asked in a very small voice.

"Naw, if he doesn't want us in, we won't get in." He opened the door to a large foyer. "Hey Buffy, I found this outside looking for you." Spike yelled.

Buffy walked out of an adjoining room. "Dawn? What the hell are you doing here?" Dawn flew into Buffy's arms so quickly that all she could do was hold the hysterical girl. "Dawn, what happened?" She pulled slightly away to look at her face. "Talk to me Dawn."

Looking accusingly at the woman who used to be her sister, she spoke. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me I wasn't real? I had to find out from a crazy ass, over-dressed bitch with a major god complex."

Angel was standing in the doorway, taking in the little drama that was unfolding. He came to stand before the woman and the girl. "And just how did she get in here?"

Spike, who was leaning on the wall, raised his hand with an evil grim on his face. "Sorry peaches, she was standing outside yelling Buffy's name. Thought she lost her invitation."

"Well, you can just take her out of here. Now." He turned to face Buffy as Dawn moved behind her 'sister'.

"Angelus, I cannot just throw her out. That bitch will use her to open up the portal, none of us want that, now do we?" Her eyes were pleading with her sire.

"Fine. Just fine. Don't listen to me. But she won't be safe here. We are between dimensions Buff. Not in an alternate one. That hell god bitch may not be able to get back to her world without Dawn, but she can certainly find her here." He turned to Spike. "Go, find the doctor and kill him. We are going to try to get away from the Hellmouth. I'm sure she's finding strength from this place."

"Yeah, but I think she sucks out brains too." Dawn spoke from behind Buffy, her face buried in the vampire's shoulder.

"Dawn, will you let go?" Buffy attempted to loosen the girls grip, but fear made her a very strong lady, so she just gave up. "Where do you propose we go?" The idea of leaving their safe haven didn't sit too well with her.

"Don't know yet, just don't want any hell gods in my house. Call that witch and tell her to get Dawn's mom over here. I do not want her clutching you all night." He turned and went into the library. Maybe the safest place for them would be an alternate universe. He'd have to do some quick research and find the safest place where they could easily get back from. Maybe they could just leave the pesky little bitch there for good.

* * *


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

"Are you sure this is the right way? I see no vampire type castles in this neighborhood." Xander had been at Willow and Cordelia's place when Buffy had called and had insisted on going with them.

"_No way am I letting you take Dawn's mother over there by yourself. Who knows what they really want. They could just be using you as a blood delivery service."_

_Cordelia rolled her eyes. "And how are you more able to take care of us then we are? I have a brown belt in Tae Kwon Do and my Willow is a powerful Wicca. You just don't want to be left out, so just admit it. And you never got over your crush on Joyce. You were always such a sick puppy Xand. Speaking of which, where's the ex-demon?"_

"_At the Magic Shop, Giles left her in charge. And why do you always have to be such a bitch to me Cordy? If I'd been a better boyfriend you and Willow would've never gotten together and you would never have recognized you latent lesbian tendencies. I am the reason you guys are so happy." _

_Willow had to laugh, despite the fact that the world might be coming to an end. Her lover and her best friend were always sniping at each other and it amused her more than she could ever say. "Come on kids, stop the bickering or you'll both have a time out. We really need to go and pick up Joyce."_

"I don't understand Mrs. Summers. How could Dawn not be Dawn? We've known her since you moved here. How is it you could possibly think she just came into being? And why does this hell god think she's a key that can open the portal to her dimension?" Confusion clouded Willow's face and Cordelia looked as if she were about to cry.

"It's very complicated Willow. But the gist is we need to protect Dawn. We are just very lucky she escaped. We have to get to her. Buffy is doing her best but I know Angelus will lose patience before long." Joyce didn't have the energy to get into the whole explanation. She just prayed Dawn was alright and that Giles would be back soon.

So, here were the four of them on Crawford Street searching for a hidden house. Willow pulled out a pouch and poured a small amount of green powder on her hand. "Okay sweetie, stop the car for a sec." Willow stepped out of the car and blew the dust into the wind, letting it carry the magic powder on its quest. At first it seemed to all dissipate, when it suddenly merged into a spiraling tunnel and headed straight for a large tree. Smiling, she turned to the occupants of the car. "That's where we're going."

"They live in a tree?" Xander questioned.

"Just grab my bag back there and let's go." Sometimes even she lost patience with her much loved Xander.

In much the same way Spike took Dawn to the mansion, Willow led the Joyce, Cordelia and Xander. Fascinated by the strong witchcraft that keep the house hidden for so many years, Willow was dying to meet whoever had crafted the spell. Maybe if she were lucky when this was all over she would.

All four stood at the front door, not sure who should knock when the door was opened by a smirking Spike. "Well, here we have all the white hats in a row. Good thing you have a reason to be here or I'd be feasting for days." He gave Cordelia a lecherous grin as he eyed her low cut t-shirt. "Oh yes, for days."

Willow's eyes gave off sparks as she waved her hand, sending Spike across the foyer. "Hey, I was just having a bit of a look. You didn't have to go all witchy on me."

"Enough Spike. Don't you have someone to kill?" Buffy came down the stairs closely followed by Dawn, whose eyes were downcast.

"Couldn't find him." Spike was lifting himself up and trying to right a table he had been thrown into.

"That was an antique Spike. Next time could you just fall through a wall?" Buffy went to Joyce and motioned to Dawn. "She knows what she is, seems the hell god told her of her origins." She reached behind and grabbed Dawn's arm, pulling her forward. "Here, she needs to cling and I am not the one she should be clinging to." She nodded at the other three. "Come into the library." She turned and walked down the hallway.

"So, all the little scoobies are still together? Isn't that quaint?" Angelus had several books open, he cast a meaningful glance at Cordelia and Willow. Would love to see the two of them together, he thought.

As if reading his mind, Buffy came to stand behind him and whispered in his ear. "Don't go there, don't even think it." He looked up at her with his signature smirk.

"I'm just window shopping Buff. No purchasing, promise." He loved it when her jealousy reared its' little head.

"Willow, come take a look at these. I thought we could spend a little vacation in an alternate dimension, just don't know which one seems the best."

"Oh, cool. You have spells to open the portals? How about returning spells?" Willow almost ran over to him, forgetting the fact that she was in the home of a master vampire. She peered over his shoulder, getting a little too close for Buffy's liking so she went over to Angelus' desk and lifted several of the volumes and placed them on a near by table.

"Here Willow. You can look at these over here."

She smiled up at Buffy, "Great. Cordelia, come take a look at these."

Angelus gave her a wicked smirk. That's my girl, he thought, good thing we think alike. Xander had been staring at Buffy since he had walked in the door and that would not do. He rose and walked over to Buffy and whispered into her ear.

"Seems your little high school chum just can't take his eyes off of you. If he starts drooling he will be living minus a testical or two. Take care of it." He walked out to the room and motioned for Spike to follow him.

Buffy sighed and looked about the room at the assembled group. How had she gotten into this all over again? The only one missing was Giles and he was the only one she really wanted to see. Well, him and the two Summers women. She would never admit it to Angelus, but they pulled at her. If she told her sire he would kill them on the spot, of this she was sure, so for the first time in their relationship Buffy consciously kept something from him. But she would fix this, make things safe for the women and then her life would be her own again. And his, she would be his completely once more. She stood in front of Xander and looked down at him.

"Why did you come? You really have no reason to be here and you are not wanted. I am going to have someone escort you back to your place."

He looked up at her and frowned. "Do you think I want to be here? You make me sick. You chose this, him, over the people who really loved you? You made that decision while you were still yourself and looked what happened. You've turned into the kind of person you hated. Hanging on his every word, catering to his every demand. You used to be something, someone. Now you're just nothing."

Buffy laughed out loud and whispered to him. "It speaks and says nothing as usual. You can honestly preach to me of being nothing when your whole life depends on others pulling you along? As for what I am, well I owe you no explanations, but I love what I have become. I am Angelus' mate and he is mine. When I was her, your precious little slayer, I had nothing of my own. I had to save the world and still deal with your demands and whining. And your inadequacies. Oh, does someone need rescuing? Must be Xander. And when I fell in love with a real man I got no support from you. The only one who understood was Willow. You, my sad little boy, you were just a burden that kept running along after the big kids." She gave him a disdainful glare. "My gods, you couldn't even keep your girlfriend satisfied so you had to turn to an ex-demon." She moved in close to his face. "Do not mistake your jealousy and envy for superiority. You are nothing, have always been nothing and will always be nothing. Except maybe a yoke around the neck of your friends and Giles."

With that she turned to find Spike when she felt his hand on her shoulder. Without thinking, she grabbed his wrist, flung him to the ground and landed on his chest with her knee. She heard the air whoosh out of him and shook her head.

"What the hell are you thinking of boy? At least pretend to have the balls to take it." Buffy got up and stood away from him, waiting for him to catch his breath while Cordelia and Willow ran to help him up.

"What happened?" Willow looked up at Buffy with tears in her eyes. She had been a fool to think this might be the beginning of some sort of new relationship with her old best friend.

"He surprised me and…hey, wait a fucking minute here. I do not have to explain myself to you. You are here to help Dawn and Joyce, not to ask me questions. Are we clear?" Buffy rolled her eyes. She was a demon after all, these weak humans were lucky she didn't let Angelus and Spike have a mid-night buffet at their expense.

Willow shook her head. "We're sorry, it's just hard. We kinda went back in time for a second. Please Buffy, don't be mad."

"Oh please. Don't you dare apologize to her." Cordelia had had quite enough of Willow's excitement and Xander's mooning and glaring. He was lucky Angelus hadn't ripped him a new one. "She's the one who sent for us." She glared at Buffy. "And don't play miss high and mighty. I saw the way you were looking at your mom and sister, yeah, I said it. Mom and sister! You may be able to fool all of them," she waved her hand at the assembled group, "but you cannot fool me Buffy Summers. Even as a vampire bitch, I know how you work. With all your strength and power you should've been a force to be reckoned with in Sunnydale. Hello, still a Hellmouth. But no, you sit at home with your vampire lover and travel to Italy and shop. You do not rally the forces of evil to take over demonland. And you tamed the fucking," she turned to Joyce, "pardon the language," she turned back to Buffy, "the fucking Scourge of Europe. His bark has definitely become worse than his bite."

Buffy calmly walked up to Cordelia and took her by the throat as she pushed her against the nearest wall. In a deathly quite voice she spoke. "Don't you dare to presume you know me, girl. You know nothing of me or my lover or my life. You live because of my grace and because of his."

Willow ran to the two of them. "Buffy please! She can't breath. Please put her down. She and Xander will go. They don't get it, they just don't understand that you are someone else now. Please Buffy, I am begging you. Please put her down." Buffy heard the fear in her voice and saw it in Cordelia's eyes and smirked. She had made her point so she released the dark haired girl. "I'll get Spike to take them home." She turned and started walked away.

Dawn was in her mother's arms, silently crying. "Maybe we should go too, mom. I don't think she wants any of us here. I don't want Cordy and Xander to leave."

"Shhh baby, we have to stay. We have to keep you safe and we have no place else to go. Just remember sweetheart. It's not the Buffy you remember. She's someone else now. I wish she was our girl, but she isn't."

Xander wiped the tears from his eyes. "I'm sorry, I…I just couldn't help but try to see our old Buffy and all I succeeded in doing is ruining things." He ran after Buffy. "Please Buffy, don't punish them because of me. I'll go, but let Cordy stay. Both Will and Dawn, they need her." He was pleading and Buffy appreciated a good bit of begging.

"Fine. You leave, she stays." She nodded toward Cordelia. "But she had better watch her tongue or someone will watch it for her." Buffy went to Dawn and Joyce. "While they search for a portal let me show you to a room where you can rest. I'm sure you must me tired." She looked Joyce over Dawn's head.

"That would be nice. Thank you Buffy. And thank you for…well for all of this." She rose, lifting Dawn with her. "Come on sweetheart, we'll lie down for a while. I really am quite tired."

* * *

"So you think this is the place that will work for us?" Angelus was reading over the dimension Willow was suggesting to him.

"Well, I don't really know for sure but it appears to be less demonic than most and this one visitor writes that the locals have a simple village-type existence. They are very superstitious but we could just blend and bide our time for awhile. Don't you think?"

"Maybe. You have a way to come back once you get there, right?"

"Well, yeah. But aren't you and Buffy coming with us?" Willow didn't think it would be safe to travel there without them.

"No, but I'm sending Spike with you. You'll be fine with him." Angel turned to find Buffy but Willow stopped him.

"Angelus, why are you doing this for us? I mean, why do you care?"

He turned back to the young witch. "Because she cares. I don't know why, but this means too much to her. Dawn and Joyce mean too much to her and I want this to end here. I could just let you all die, I have no problems with that. But she wants you all to live." He sat back down and considered her. "When I turned her, when she asked me to turn her, I thought the first thing we would do together was kill the lot of you. But instead she made me promise nothing would happen to you." He shrugged. "She's not like a vampire, not really. But she's not like her old self either. Buffy is her own entity. And she's mine. I will do anything to keep her that way. If that means protecting people from her old life, so be it. But don't mistake this for my caring Willow. I don't. I only do this for her. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

* * *

Glory was pacing about the room when her minion entered.

"Oh magnificent one. We have news." Slook bowed before her.

Glory kicked at him to release a little of her frustration. "Well, give you little beastie man."

"We caught sight of the blond vampire escorting a human home. We think he may know the where abouts of the little girl. He is a friend of the mother as well."

"Yeah, okay. So why isn't he here? Do I have to do everything myself? Why do I even have minions to do my work when they don't?"

"So sorry mistress of splendiferous radiance…we shall bring the boy to you." He bowed as he began to depart.

"Umm, hello? Need a little attention here. Some nourishment would be a good thing. Gods! Do I have to do it all? Bring me some food and then a mimosa, I do need my vitamins, then bring me the boy. Are we on the same page now?" She looked at her nails and waited.

"Indeed your grace. Your will shall be done."

* * *

Xander sat in his apartment thinking over what Buffy had said and he had to admit she was right. He really didn't have anything to offer anymore. Not that he really ever did. Willow had her magic, Cordelia was becoming the little ninja protector and Giles. Well, Giles was the glue that kept them all together once Buffy had left. They all did their best but he only had a few funnies and a little bit of brawn to offer. And these days Cordelia's brawn was the most effective.

Anya sat next to him and handed him a beer. "What's the matter? I wish you hadn't gone with them. I mean it was dangerous and you are needed here. By me." She had come home from the Magic Shop and found Xander in a funk. When pressed, he had finally told her what had happened. "I never met this Buffy the slayer, but I am so sure she is not worth all this upset. She's a vampire now, she's happy. And she's helping Joyce and Dawn. So really, there's no reason to be all gloomy. As far as you are concerned, it's over."

The door to their apartment flew open allowing 3 of Glory's minions to enter. "You are the friend to the key? You know where she is residing?"

Both Xander and Anya jumped up, Xander ready to fight, Anya ready to run. "Xander, the bedroom. We can get out through the window."

"Who the hell are you?" Xander questioned.

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

Tara parked her car and disembarked, Anya close on her heels.

"Xander said they went through a tree. Please Tara, we need to save Xander." Anya had been alternating between anger and weeping uncontrollably since she called Tara to help her and Tara was fastly becoming impatient with the ex-demon. She understood Anya had lost her loved one, but she needed to exert some sort of control until they knew what they were up against. On the way to pick up Anya, Tara had seen dozens of seemingly zombified citizens heading towards the warehouse district where a tower was being constructed. Obviously this is where that god Willow had told her about was holding court and building an opening to her dimension. She had the where, now she needed the how and the who to help them avert an apocalypse and hopefully rescue Xander.

Spying a large oak tree at the end of the block, Tara headed for it while removing a small pouch from her bag, opening it she shook out a small amount of dust and blew it at the tree.

"Took you long enough." Spike's eyes raked over the voluptuous blond standing in front of him.

Ignoring his obvious leer, she spoke up. "We…we need to see W…Willow. Please." Her large eyes were beginning to fill up with the frustration and helplessness she was feeling.

Anya pushed her out of the way. "We need Willow! Now! She needs to save Xander. My Xander."

Spike laughed. "And I care…why?"

The large door behind Spike opened allowing a lovely young woman to exit. "And who are you?" She turned to Spike, "And what the hell are you doing?"

"Just protecting the palace princess." Jerking his head at the two women. "These two are looking for Willow."

Buffy turned back towards them. "What do you want with Willow?"

"Oh god. Are you Buffy? Please! You have to help us. They took my Xander. You have to save him. Please." Anya was bordering on hysteria as Tara pulled her to stand behind her.

"Pl…Please, we believe Glory's minions t…took Xander. We know where she is, Glory I mean, and we need Willow's help." Tara was nervous and her stutter was acting up.

* * *

"So, they just came in and took him. I tried to get him to run, but no. He had to try to prove that he wasn't just a useless appendage to your little band of vigilantes. So he tried to stand up like a man. And just look where it got him. Taken to that bitch hell god. And it's all your fault." She looked pointedly at Willow and Cordelia. "You could've pretended he was an asset, god I always do and it always makes him feel better. Would it have hurt?" She turned to Tara. "She's the only one I can really count on."

Tara looked up at Willow and Cordelia. "We saw them building a tower." She looked around the room. "Where's Dawn? If she did get any information out of Xander she's going to know where we are."

"She's still here with her mom. Guess we should get moving." Willow got up and went to Anya. "I promise Anya, we'll get Xander out, he'll be fine."

"Bloody hell. Would you all just stop? The boy is probably already dead, well brain dead anyway. You won't do him a spot of good if you go out there and get yourselves dead as well." Spike had heard the conversation between the women and was sick of listening to their fantasy world.

Buffy had gone to get Angelus and the two of them had walked into the room in time to hear Spike's proclamation with Joyce and Dawn on their heels.

"God no." Dawn leaned on her mother for support. "She has Xander? This is all my fault, isn't it?"

Spike shrugged. "Well, yeah niblet, of course it's your fault. It is you she wants."

Willow cast him an evil glare. "No Dawnie. None of this is your fault. It's all that stupid hell bitch." She looked over at Joyce. "Sorry."

"No, please Willow. I agree with you 100. She's a hell bitch." Joyce held on tightly to her daughter.

Willow looked over at Buffy and Angelus. "Tara knows where Glory is. Maybe we can go and get Xander?"

"Are you serious? Do you really think I would let Buffy endanger her life over that boy?" Angelus was angry. "She said she'd do her best for Dawn and that is it." He walked out of the room, not sure he'd be able to control his anger.

Buffy shrugged. "That is what I said. And as much as I hate to say it, Spike is probably right. Xander's brain has got to be mush by now."

Dawn began to cry as Joyce tried to comfort her. "He may be fine Dawnie, we just don't know yet." She cast an angry look at Buffy.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. It's not my fault. AsI recallXander had the art of running down pat. It was his decision to go against type and play the hero."

* * *

Spike cocked his head to look at his grand-sire. Angelus was simmering and that never boded well for him. "So, it's true? Slayers retain their souls if they're turned. That's what this whole thing is about, isn't it? She didn't stay with you because she lost her soul, she stayed because of you." He looked at his grand-sire. "God man, what is it about you that brings out such bloody devotion?"

"Shut up Spike. I'm not in the mood for your inane ramblings. I need to end this thing and soon. Find this so-called god and wait 'til she turns back into the boy then kill him."

"I am not your little bitch to do your bidding Angelus. Why the fuck I'm still around evades me at the moment…"

"We both know why you are still around Spike. You have no where else to go and despite everything, we are family." He stood up and approached his grand-child. "Now be the good boy and…" There was a loud crash that had both vampires running down the stairs.

* * *

"Hold it right there. I know you're vampires and all, but I'm a god and believe me you are no match for what I can dish out. I mean, I have no problems making you suffer, but you have nothing I need so really, what's the point? I just had a mani-pedi and it'll get ruined if I have to deal with you." Glory smiled as she dropped Xander to the ground and reached for Dawn. "And I do have what I came for. You are all so naughty keeping my key from me. Lucky for me you have a friend with all the answers. He sang like a little birdie before I even sucked his brain."

"Oh god, Xander." Anya fell to the ground and cradled Xander in her lap.

Glory rolled her eyes. "He's not dead, just a little…stupid. Well, stupider. I gotta get going. People to kill and worlds to dominate." She looked back at the vampires. "Have fun while you can guys, your kind just won't fit into the new world order that's a comin'" She turned and walked out the hole in the wall she had made with Dawn, followed by several of her minions.

The rest of the group was in a shambles. Willow was nursing what looked like a broken arm while Cordelia attempted to help her. Tara was wincing as she tried to get up off the floor. Joyce's head was bleeding and Anya was trying to calm a very agitated Xander. Buffy was leaning against a wall taking in the whole scene while her own wounds were beginning to mend. Angelus walked up to her and took her hand, leading her upstairs.

He sat her on the edge of their bed. "So, what happened?" Angelus looked closely at his mate.

She shrugged. "Glory found us. Guess I shouldn't have sent Xander home."

"That's it? All this bullshit. You choosing them over me and all I get from you is she found us?"

"Well, what do you want me to say? That I couldn't stop her? That she's stronger than me?" She looked back at him. "And I didn't choose them over you. I just wanted, no I needed, to try and save her." She let her head drop. "And I failed."

Angelus turned his back on her, shaking his head. "This is ridiculous Buff. We had, we have the perfect life and you are letting them ruin it. I should just kill the lot of them right now and end this." He headed towards the door.

"Please Angelus. No. Please. I want our life back. I didn't choose them, I chose you. I love you. I just…I just need…" She couldn't articulate her feelings because she wasn't sure what they were.

Angelus fell to his knees before her. "Fuck it Buff. What have you done to me? What have I let you do to me?" He shook his head and grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him down the staircase.

"Okay. We end this tonight." He looked at the group. "Any ideas on how to kill a god?"

Tara cleared her throat. "Well…I seem to recall…" She turned to Anya. "Doesn't Mr. Giles have the Hammer of Thor at the magic shop?" She looked at Buffy and Angelus again. "It may be a start."

* * *


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

Anya walked into the Magic Shop leading a slightly agitated Xander.

Willow looked up. "What did they say at the hospital?"

"There's really nothing they can do. There appears to be some sort of idiot virus going around by the amount of cots filled with Xander types. They just keep rambling .Going on and on about the world spinning straight to a new day. It really creeped me out. Anyway, they gave me tranquilizers to keep him quiet."

"New day, big day, big, big, day…" Xander tried to walk out the door but Anya stopped him.

"You know, I didn't sign on for this sort of relationship. I mean sex, orgasms, funny little jokes, okay. But Xander being mentally challenged, no I just don't think I'm up for this." She was running a soothing hand up and down Xander's back and shushing him.

Tara smiled at her. "You're doing great Anya. You love him and you'll get him back."

"And if you don't we're all gonna probably die so it won't really matter in the long run, ducks." Spike spoke up.

"Not too well versed in the comfort department, are you?" Tara glared at him.

"Hey, tryin' to make her feel better. Give me kudos for that much, after all I am a soulless demon." He smiled the sexiest smile Tara had ever seen.

"Whatever." She turned back to help Willow and cursed her luck for always finding the most inappropriate people attractive. And to be thinking those thoughts while trying to avert an apocalypse, she had to smile to herself.

"So, where's Dawn?" All heads looked up to see a much disheveled Giles.

"Oh thank god!" Joyce ran to the watcher and fell into his arms. "She took her. Giles, she has Dawn."

Giles held Joyce and looked over her head to Willow and Cordelia. "Glory found us at Buffy's after she sucked the information from Xander." Willow nodded towards Anya and Xander.

"I have places to be." Xander hung his head while Anya continued to try and comfort him. "Places to be."

Giles took a deep breathe and pulled away from Joyce, leading her to a chair. "I'll be right here Joyce."

"Yes, I'm sorry. So sorry. Just lost it for a moment. I'm so glad you're back Rupert." He wiped the tears from her face.

"We'll figure something out." He turned to the group. "Well, I have a bit more information. One thing is certain, we have to stop Glory before she begins the ritual."

"So, you found the ritual?" Angelus went over to Giles.

"Yes." He handed the book over to Angelus, Buffy behind him reading as well.

"Glory ... plans to open a ... dimensional portal ... by way of a ritual bloodletting, which we sorta knew, blah, blah, blah. Once the blood is shed at a certain time and place ... the fabric which separates all realities will ... be ripped apart." Buffy looked up at Giles. "That about it?"

He nodded. "Dimensions will pour into one another, uh, with no barriers to stop them. Reality as we know it will be destroyed, and chaos will reign on earth." Giles spoke softly.

"Bugger that, how do we stop it?" Spike pulled out his cigarettes and offered one to Giles, who took it.

"The portal will only close once the blood is stopped ... and the only way for that to happen is…" Giles held Joyce's eyes, unable to continue.

Buffy finished for her ex-watcher. "Dawn has to die."

Giles took a drag off the cigarette. "The key was living energy. It needed to be channeled, poured into a specific place at a specific time. The energy would flow into that spot and the walls between the dimensions break down. It stops when the energy's used up and the walls come back up. Glory uses that time to get back into her own dimension, not caring that all manner of hell will be unleashed on earth in the meantime."

"Um, but only for a little while, right? The walls come back up and n-no more hell?" Anya stood up from Xander and walked to Giles.

Willow shook her head. "That's only if the energy is stopped. And now the key is human" She over at Joyce, "...is Dawn."

"The blood flows, the gates will open. The gates will close when it flows no more." Giles removed his glasses. "When Dawn is dead."

"So, you're planning on killing my little girl?" Joyce was livid. "You said you'd protect her and now you are planning on killing my daughter?"

Angelus shrugged. "She isn't your daughter. She's more a part of Buffy than a part of you. If she doesn't die we all do." He sounded cold, he was cold. All that mattered to him was that Buffy and he came out of this intact. If it meant saving the world, so be it, but he didn't care.

Buffy looked up at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "I suggest we stop Glory before she bleeds Dawn and that will take care of everything. We still have time before she begins her ritual, right?"

Willow looked up. "A few hours, maybe."

"Well, Tara knows where the ritual takes place. We go, maybe if we get lucky we can kill Ben, if not at least we can get Dawn. We just have to stop Glory, right? She only has a certain amount of time to do this."

"Yes." Willow agreed.

"What about you? I mean, the two of you still have the same blood right?" Tara asked.

Buffy looked up at Angelus and laughed. "Honey, I haven't had my own blood for a very long time. No worries about her trying to use me."

She looked over at Willow. "Well Wicca, think you can come up with anything?"

"I think so. Actually Tara and I did. We think, if we can get close enough to Glory we might be able to reverse what Glory did, take back the essence. Give it back to all of those she stole it from. If we can we think it might weaken Glory, make her less coherent. Or, it might make all our heads explode."

"Yeah, make sure that doesn't happen, okay?" Buffy moved back to Angelus.

"I hate all this talk. Let's just go over there and do something." He took Buffy in his arms. "I'm sure between you and me and Spike, we can kill all the little worker bees Glory has. Without them, she'll be a little more vulnerable."

"It's an idea." She kissed his nose.

"No. How can you say that? All those people are innocent victims." Cordelia was appalled.

Buffy laughed. "Hello, demons here. Honestly Cordelia, being a lesbian has made you soft. Back in the day you wouldn't have care who died as long as you were safe and your hair didn't get mussed. Besides, those folks will probably never be quite right."

"That is not true." Anya cried. "Willow's going to reverse it all, she said so."

"Either she's reversing it or heads will explode." Angelus added. "We'll do whatever we have to." Losing his patience, he looked around the room. "Do you all hear me? Whatever we have to do to stop this." He stood and walked outside before he started pulling heads off bodies.

"Don't push us. We don't have to be here you know." Buffy followed her mate outside.

* * *

Buffy came up behind Angelus and wrapped her arms around him. "It's almost over lover and then we can get back to our lives." She turned around until she was facing him and reached up to place a kiss on his unresponsive lips. "Baby, please."

He looked down at her. "For all your harsh words to them Buffy, it's never going to be over, is it? You may have chosen me but you never really left them. You never really left her behind, did you?"

Buffy shook her head in confusion and in denial. "What are you talking about?"

"You still have your soul." Angelus looked straight ahead, refusing to look into her eyes.

She made a strange noise in her throat. "What does it matter? I'm with you. You are all I want, all I ever wanted."

"I could kill you for this. For lying to me all these years." His voice was harsh and strangled.

"I never lied to you. We never talked of it. You never asked. Even when I didn't go on the hunt, you never asked. You didn't want to know. Why is it different now?" She was mad and hurt and it showed in her voice.

"Do not take that tone with me. I am still your sire."

"What do you want me to say? To do?" She had changed to a pleading tone.

"Damnit Buffy, I don't know. I…I am not used to this, to these emotions. Angel was, that was his weakness, his indecisiveness. They make me mad. They make me want to destroy, hurt, kill. And my love, are the one I want to do it to." He finally looked down at her, his hand wrapping around her throat. "We will finish this task of yours, then we'll decide how this will play out." He pushed her away, causing her to hit the ground.

She looked up at him, sadness filling her eyes. "I didn't want them Angelus. I never wanted to be with them. Only you, only ever you."

"But if you'd been given the choice, you would've chosen him."

"I always knew it was you. When I made the choice to spend eternity with you I knew who I was spending it with. I was never deluded or confused. I chose you. I choose you now. This other thing, the one with Dawn. She's more than a lost memory Angelus. She's a part of me. She was made from me." She was pleading for him to understand.

"Get up. We'll decide later." He turned and went back into the shop, leaving Buffy to fight the sobs welling up in her chest.

Spike tsked from the shadows and gave a small chuckle.

"God Spike, do you always have to slink? You're such an asshole. Remind me why I haven't killed you?" Buffy started to get up.

He shrugged. "Cause you love my effervescent charm and wit?" He reached out a hand that Buffy looked at him for a moment before taking it. "He'll get over it and forgive you. He can't help himself. He always called me a bitch for love, and I suppose he's right. But he is the biggest bitch when it comes to you. He always knew you retained your soul, he just chose to ignore it. He wanted you more than he hated you. And then he actually fell in love with you. What a ponce." He let his gaze wander over her greedily. "Can't blame the lucky bastard though. No man or demon could resist you, love."

She looked up at him with shock in her eyes.

"You are the most single minded, devoted woman ever. And the whole demon population knows it. The two of you are, well…you are envied." He shrugged. "He'll get over it, of course if we have no world to speak of the both of you will have no worries." He threw his cigarette to the ground and stomped on it. "See you inside with the little white hats. And close your gob, not very lady like."

* * *


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

Giles was looking through one of the books he had brought back from England. "Dagon Sphere."

"What?" Both Willow and Cordelia questioned.

Looking up, he pushed the open book towards them. "Dagon Sphere. It has a history going back centuries." He nodded at Angelus as the master vampire came back into the Magic Shop.

"So, what's it do?" Angelus asked.

"It's a protective device, used to ward off ancient primordial evil." Giles motioned to the girls to show the book to Angelus. Anya had walked up behind him and was looking at the drawing over his shoulder. "It was created to repel That Which Cannot Be Named."

"Pretty vague." Angelus slammed the book shut.

"No, no." Willow eyes were moving about excitedly. "This could be of the good. I mean, if we can get our hands on one of these maybe once we do our reclamation spell it could slow Glory down long enough for Buffy to get Dawn back…or maybe…"

"Too many maybes there witch. And do you even have access to one of these spheres?" Angelus cocked his eyebrow as he looked at the young girl.

"At least she's trying Mr. Broody vampire. Jeez, one woulda thought that when you lost your soul you would've hung up the whole angsty, mopey attitude. Guess Buffy never lost her talent at bringing up the misery in all those around her." Cordelia put her arm around Willow. "It's good sweetie, all your ideas are good."

"Excuse me." Anya raised her hand, as if in a class room.

"Please Anya, not now." Giles couldn't deal with one of her inane questions at the moment.

Spike entered the room followed by Buffy, who had a bit of a broody expression herself.

"So, did all you brilliant folk come up with a way to save the world yet?" Spike winked at Tara.

"At least we're trying." Tara huffed at him.

"Hello, I have something to contribute here." Anya stood up.

"Well, what is it Anya." Giles voice was harsh.

"We have one of those orbs."

All heads turned towards her and in unison asked, "What?"

"We have one of those orbs. We got one with those Orbs of Thesula we special ordered."

Buffy and Spike looked at each other and then at the group. "What orb?"

"Long story, but it might be of use." Angelus spoke to them without looking over.

She went to him and laid her hand on his shoulder. "Please. Please Angelus."

He looked up at her. "This isn't the time or the place Buff. We aren't over, okay?"

Buffy stared into his unreadable eyes and blinked back her tears, relief flooding her whole being. "Okay." She whispered.

"Told you so." Spike smirked as he walked past them and stood across from Tara so he could leer at her and make her squirm a little.

Giles cast a quick glance at the two vampires before returning his attention to Anya. "Why didn't you say something?"

"I just did." Anya turned her head to Xander as she soothed him. "It's all going to be fine. Willow's taking care of it all."

"Anya, please focus. Where is it?"

"Where is what?"

"Anya, dear, please. The orb." Giles was losing patience.

"Oh, it's downstairs in one of the boxes from L.A."

Giles shook his head. "Anya, there are dozens of boxes from Los Angeles. Do you know which one?"

"Giles, it came in weeks ago. I don't remember which." She huffed in exasperation.

Tara stood up. "I'll start going through all the boxes Giles." She turned to Anya. "Do you at least remember the size Anya?"

She held up her hands and motioned a size. "Kinda small, a smaller medium sized box."

"Okay. I'll be downstairs." Tara headed for the basement as Spike straightened up.

"I'll help the lass in her search. Four hands are better than two, right?" He was close on her heels.

Buffy turned to Angelus. "That was weird."

Angelus snorted. "He has a hard on for the girl and you know what the end of the world can do for the libido."

* * *

Tara handed Spike another box. "Well, we only have about 12 more to go through. Unless Anya is completely mistaken we'll have it in no time at all." Spike smiled as he looked up at the girl on the ladder and grabbed her hand with the box.

"That means we can slow down just a bit, don't ya think?" His lids were half closed and Tara felt her heart skip a beat before it began going at double time. Spike had to smile at her reaction.

"Spike, I really don't think this is the time or the place, do you? I mean the world as we know it could end tonight. We need to find this orb."

"And we will." He pulled her until she fell off the ladder she was perched on and into his arms as he set her down. "But why don't we find each other first?" He brought her close to his chest and caught her lips in a searing kiss, causing Tara's knees to buckle.

This is such a mistake, she thought, but she didn't seem to be able to resist the sexy vampire. His hands wandered up and down her back until they came to rest on her bottom as he pulled her even closer to let her feel his excitement.

"Spike." She moaned. "This is only because the world might end. As long as you know that." Her head fell back as his tongue trailed along her jaw line and down to her neck.

"No worries pet. We're just a couple of those passing ships you always read about." He lifted her skirt as she unzipped his jeans. Laying her over a large box, Spike looked into her passion filled eyes and fought the desire to growl. "I promise sweetheart, you will have no regrets." He urged her thighs apart with his knee and smiled wickedly. "I'm gonna give you something you are never gonna forget."

She smiled back up at him. "You are certainly full of yourself, aren't you?"

Spike laughed. "Ummm…and so are you." Tara gasped as he entered her and all thoughts fled her mind, save one. 'World can't end 'cause I gotta have more of him.'

Tara and Spike came up from the basement, both looking a bit rumpled around the edges. The assembled group, apart from Buffy and Angelus, attributed that to the boxes they had been rummaging through. "We found it!" Tara handed the sphere over to Giles.

"Wonderful, thank you so much." He looked to Spike. "The both of you." Turning to Buffy and Willow. "So, are we clear on the plan?"

* * *

The group made their way to the warehouse district, following closely behind Xander. Buffy carrying a very lethal looking hammer, Angelus with a large broadsword, and the rest with various weapons to defend against the assumed onslaught of Glory's minions.

Spike hoisted his crossbow and turned to Tara. "Stay behind me, okay?"

She shook her head. "Alright, but Will and I have to do the spell..."

"Yeah, yeah, just stay behind me."

They all stopped, looking up at a very tall tower that wasn't there the day before.

"What is that?" Anya was trying to hold Xander back.

"It must be where the portal opens up." Giles looks over to Buffy and nodded.

"Willow, Tara, you're up."

Xander had wandered over to the gathering of people, muttering as he began to pick up bricks while the rest remained hidden from Glory and her minions. "Much to do, big day. Big, big day."

"Hey! Just one cotton pickin' minute." Glory grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. "What are you doing here?"

Willow and Tara appear beside her, Spike aiming his crossbow at her head. "He's with us." Willow motioned to Tara, who took her hand as she grabbed Xander's head while Willow did the same to Glory. They all began to scream in agony as a blue light began to emanate from them and flicker. Spike began to run to them, only to be stopped by Buffy.

"It's not over. You can't stop it yet." She held fast to his arm while he struggled against her.

"Let go Buffy."

Angelus pulled him back. "You heard what she said boy. Relax, the Wiccas know what they're doing." He looked on as a bright blue light began to stream out of Glory's head and into Xander's. "I think."

A large blast exploded, separating all of them as they went flying in different directions. Spike ran to Tara as she crashed into a mound of rumble. Cordelia had seen Willow fly into a pile of wood and rushed to her side as well.

"Baby. Baby! Are you okay?" Cordelia was trying to fight her tears, but she felt them escaping down her face. Willow reached up and ran her finger down her cheek.

"Ah sweetie, are those for me? Don't cry, I'm okay. Help me get up and find Xander, we have to see if it worked.

* * *

Glory had smashed onto a concrete slab then sat up and shook her head. "What did those bitches do to me?" She clutched her head. "They made…they made a hole. I need a brain to eat!"

Her minion ran to her. "Take mine, oh groove-tastic one!" He bowed to her as he offered himself in supplication.

"I said a brain you useless puke!"

She put her hand back to her head and began to walk away. "Big day. I got places to be, big day. I need a brain!"

Glory looked directly at Buffy. "Can't use you, you nothing but a worthless vampire, but your friends. Now there's must be a brain between them. Ya think?"

"Come and get it." Buffy smiled at her. "You don't look so good though. I mean, we only really met once, but you looked better. Well, as good as you could considering the whorish make up and the really bad hair. Honestly, as a god I would think you would shop for something a little more fashion forward." Buffy shrugged. "Whatever. But you really don't seem very well."

"Those little witch bitches gave me a bit of a headache, but if you think this is gonna last longer than a few seconds…"

"Blah, blah, blah. I see the lips moving, but are you saying anything? You really should be attacking, don't you think?"

"Shall we take care of this one, oh magnificent ,exquisite one?" Glory's minions were ready to move in on Buffy.

Glory swayed as she swatted one of them. "Go guard the girl, this is a…a"

"Diversionary tactic?" Her minion bowed in front of her.

"Go guard!" She leaned against a box.

"Hmm, it's strange. You don't seem to have all that god-like, super girlish strength."

"It's those damn witches…."

"Ummm, don't think so." Buffy pulled out the Dagon sphere. "Could it be this? Heard it's supposed to repel you. Guess you shouldn't touch it, huh?" Buffy tossed it to her. Without thinking, Glory reached out and caught it. The sphere lit up and began to wrap itself around the hell-god. She grimaced in pain and fell to the ground, the sphere still in her hand. She held the ball of light and slowly crushed it allowing dust to fall beside her until the light went out.

"You are so gonna pay for that one vampire." Glory attempted to rise, but not before Buffy punched her in the face, causing her to once again fall to the ground. Kicking her in the stomach and moving onto her head, Buffy paused to pull her up.

"Where is she?" She jammed her fist into Glory's chest, feeling her expel all her air. "Where the fuck is she?" Glory smiled and looked up.

"Day late and more than a few dollars short. I'm not the only one who wants the portal open and I'm not the only one who can bleed her." Buffy looked up and saw Dawn standing on the tower. She could make out Angelus and someone else who was nearer to Dawn. "You can't kill me and once the portal is open your ass is mine."

Buffy pushed Glory back to the ground as she turned to pick up the hammer. She pulled her arms back and slammed the hammer into Glory's head over and over again. "I may not be able to kill you bitch, but I'll be damned if I let you succeed."

Unable to move and on the verge of tears, Glory looked up at Buffy. "Stop it."

Buffy smiled down at her, an evil glint in her eye. "You're a god, make it stop." She continued her assault until Glory was no longer moving. Buffy brought the hammer to her side as Glory dissolved into Ben. He looked up at her.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. We'll leave you alone, it's over now, we'll never bother any of you again." He coughed and spit up blood. "Please, it's over."

"Oh, I know you'll leave us alone. But I can't take a chance on her." Buffy smiled at him as she brought the hammer down on his head in one final blow. "That's the breaks Benny boy."

Buffy turned and ran for the tower, swinging her hammer as she brought down dozens of Glory's minions on her quest to stop the blood-letting.

* * *

Anya cradled Xander's head on her lap, begging him to open his eyes. He finally did and looked up at her. "Anya?"

"Yes, yes Xander it's me." Tears were flowing down her cheeks.

He raised his arms and held her close. "Oh Anya, I was so lost."

"We found you Xander. Willow and Tara, they brought you back to me." She kissed his forehead.

Cordelia and Willow came to sit next to the couple. "You feeling better Xand?" Willow held her arm and smiled at him.

"Better. What's going on? Are we winning?"

"Don't know yet. Think we should get ready to pack up and head for the hills just in case." Spike picked up the nearest sword and headed back into the fray.

* * *

Angelus slowly approached Glory's minion who was inches from Dawn and had a very large knife in his hand. "Hey little guy, it's pretty much over. Your god appears to be down for the count." He held his hand out. "Just give me the knife and I'll let you live."

"If her magnificence is gone there is no point to life. I do this in her memory." He swung his arm out and sliced Dawn several times in the stomach as she screamed in pain. Angelus walked up to the minion and pushed him over the edge going straight to Dawn.

She looked up at the man she used to worship, the man she envied her sister for. The vampire who had taken her sister away from her. "I'm sorry, it's too late."

Angelus placed his hand over her wound, hoping to staunch the bleeding. "Maybe, maybe not." Buffy ran to the two of them and saw her 'sister' with a blood stain growing on her stomach. She looked at Angelus.

"What can we do?" A few drops slid from Angelus' hand falling over the edge. In midair they formed a small circle of light that began to grow. "It's started." Buffy said with a bit of fear in her voice.

The portal steadily grew, crackling lightening bolts emanating from it's center, allowing demons to enter the city. They all looked up in time to see a huge dragon come out of the center of the portal and fly towards the horizon. "This is not good."

"Understatement, Buff." He looked between Dawn and Buffy. "Can you do it?"

"I have to." Buffy felt tears begin to form in her eyes.

Dawn looked at her sister and in one brief moment knew what she had to do. She calmly took Buffy's hand. "No, you don't. I do. For you." She looked at Angelus. "For the both of you." She put her head near the two of them. "I was never meant to be, not really. I love you Buffy, I always have. But this is what I was made for. This is my gift. Tell them I love them, tell them to live" She kissed Buffy's cold lips. "Live for me Buffy. Take my gift and live for me." With a final look at Buffy and Angel, he'd always be Angel to her, Dawn turned and made a running leap off the end of the platform into the waiting portal. As she fell through the light, Dawn sent her wish into the ether and was confident it would be granted. Life was her gift and life was what she needed to give back.

Buffy reached out, moving too slowly to grasp Dawn's skirt. As she fell, Buffy felt the shift in the universe. She also felt the shift in her body. The pain was too intense as she turned to her mate to see him writhing in pain as well. She grasped her chest as she fell to the floor, waiting to die. Giles and Spike were the first ones to make it up to the two vampires, leaving a grieving mother to cradle her dead daughter.

"Buffy! Buffy! What is it? What's happened?" Giles saw his ex-slayer gasping for what appeared to be air. Which made no sense since she had no need to breathe. Still clutching her chest, she motioned to Angelus.

"Is he still alive?" Her words came out in short gasps.

Spike was leaning over him. "Bloody hell!" He looked over to Giles. "His fucking heart's beating. And his skin, it's warm. What the hell is this?"

Giles looked closely at Buffy as he put his finger on her throat and found her pulse. "Buffy? How do you feel? What do you feel?"

"I feel…" She looked over at Angel.

He looked back at her, wonder and just a bit of fear in his eyes. "Alive. We feel alive."

* * *


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

Buffy peered over at her lover of the past three years, my husband she thought, with an enormous amount of trepidation. Neither one of them had said a word to each other since they had 'woken up' at the tower. Once they had arrived back at her old home, everyone had tried to push their grief aside to figure out just what had happened. How had the death of a young girl resulted in the life of two vampires?

Anya had rolled her eyes. "Hello, how long have you lived on the Hellmouth? You know that nothing ever is what it appears to be. I mean I've been around a very long time and the stories I could tell you. One time…"

"Anya, please, stay on subject hon." Xander pulled her back on track.

"Oh yes, well." She looked over at Giles. "You of all people know what can happen here Mr. Giles. Dawn was energy, something no one could really explain. And okay, so this is just my take on it, but she gave her life selflessly, doesn't really matter that it was stupid, and the powers granted her request. I mean, she is probably somewhere really great right now. Or maybe she just reverted to what ever she really was. My point being, I don't think you are going to find any answers in all those books of yours."

Willow was nodding her head in agreement. "I actually think she's right. This was her gift to all of us. Except that Buffy and Angel got a little more, not that the world as we know it not ending isn't a huge thing, but…you know what I mean." She leaned a little closer to Cordelia, who kissed her on the forehead and smiled.

They all looked over at the two former vampires, who up until now hadn't really said more than two words. Joyce walked over to them. "Are you alright? Buffy, Angel? Are you doing okay?"

Buffy was staring down at her hands. "I don't know mom. Your youngest daughter just gave her life up for us and I've been a vampire for the past three years and I was living with a vampire who had no soul and now he's here, but it isn't really the same man." She turned to Angel. "Do you even remember the past four years at all? Do you know what I did? Do you hate me for being with him? For loving him?"

He looked up at her. "I don't know Buffy, please, it's just all too much. The memories, I have some of the memories. So what does that mean? I don't remember really being anywhere else for the past few years. No heaven, no hell. But I have snippets of a life with you." Angel turned to Giles. "Do you know what that means? Was my soul still in there while Angelus was in control or was I just gone?" He was feeling so many emotions he felt as if he was about to explode. Anger, betrayal, happiness, sadness. Too many to even name.

"I don't know Angel. I've never encountered anything like this, nor have you. We're trying to find out everything we can but we simply have no real point of reference." Giles looked sadly at the man.

"Please Angel. Look at me." Buffy was fighting to keep her fears at bay.

"We need to talk. Alone." He said in a quietly.

Giles looked from Angel to Buffy and could almost feel the pain and guilt that reeked from the both of them. "The two of you have been through quite an ordeal. I…I realize this sounds trite, but why don't we all sleep on this and meet back here in the morning? I think we all need some sleep." He glanced over at Joyce. "Well, rest at any rate."

Angel stood and held his hand out to Buffy. "Yeah. You're right I suppose. I don't really know what to think. Or what to do. We'll go back to my place and be back tomorrow. This is all so surreal. I feel as if I'm in a dream." He seemed to be almost speaking to himself.

Joyce jumped up from her chair. "You can't go back to that place." She frantically turned to Giles. "Please, Buffy can't go back there." Her eyes pleaded with Angel. "Please, you can't take her back there. It could be dangerous for her. For the both of you. You aren't demons anymore, you're human now. Angel, please."

Angel shook his head. "No. No Mrs. Summers, Joyce. We aren't going back to Crawford Street. We're going back to my old place. My apartment."

Giles laid his hand on Angel's shoulder. "Um, Angel. You haven't lived there in over four years. It's not yours anymore."

Rubbing his hand over his forehead in exhaustion, he looked at Buffy as he spoke. "Angelus kept it. He bought the building and kept the apartment. Even had a lady come in and clean once a week. I remember that much." He held his hand out again. "Ready?"

Buffy nodding with a very confused expression on her face. "Yeah." She turned back to her mother. "I…I'll see you tomorrow. I know this seems…" She hesitated, not really knowing what to say.

"Totally bizarre yet totally expected from our little family?" Cordelia offered.

"Well, yeah. I gotta go mom, don't worry. I mean I know you will, but we'll be safe, I'll be safe. And I'll be back tomorrow." She hugged her mother and Joyce held her daughter with all her strength.

"Please, be careful. You know what Sunnydale is like." She pleaded with Angel over her daughter's shoulder. "Take care of her Angel."

"Always. Come on Buffy, we'll be back in the morning." Angel headed out the door and Buffy followed. She smiled inwardly. This was certainly familiar, following her sire wherever he led.

* * *

Joyce held the cup of cooling tea between her hands as she took a deep breath. "Rupert, this is all so overwhelming." She paused. "And confusing. What does it all mean? Will they both stay human? Live normal lives? Is Buffy still a slayer? And what about the council, what will they do? Giles please, say something."

"I will Joyce, as soon as you stop talking." He rose from his chair and went to sit beside her on the couch.

"Sorry. Guess I've got the Willow rambles." She chuckled as she leaned her head against his chest. "I don't know what I would've done without you these past few years Rupert. Both Dawn and I, we depended on you too much." She looked up at him. "You know I never blamed you for Buffy decided to be with him. She was always so headstrong. I could never tell her anything. You know it wasn't your fault, don't you?"

"I'll always feel responsible Joyce. I was her watcher and when she lost Angel I just thought she'd outgrow the loss. I believed her mourning period would pass and her youth would distract her. I never saw just how bereaved she was." He rubbed his hand over her shoulder.

"Well, I was her mother. So how do you think I felt? We are such a guilt-ridden pair, aren't we? And now my youngest is gone. She gave her life for her sister, for all of us, and now I feel guilty because I'm not mourning her enough. This whole thing with Buffy is over shadowing her death. It's not right." She looked into his eyes. "Am I the worst mother, the worst person?"

Giles chuckled and pulled her close in his arms. "No, you've been through more in these past few years than anyone one person should have to deal with in a life time. You need some rest my love." He rose and pulled her up. "To bed."

"Will you stay tonight?" Her eyes were begging.

"Of course. I'll stay every night if you want me to." Kissing her lightly on her lips, he started up the stairs with her.

"How do you think Buffy will react to us being lovers?" She asked.

Giles laughed. "I think she will find it quite…gross."

"Indeed." Joyce continued to lean against Giles as they headed upstairs.

* * *

Angel opened the door to the apartment that he used to call home. The apartment that he and Buffy first made love in. Not first he thought, only. All the times after belonged to the other, to his demon. He felt so many sensations and he also felt his heart pounding in his chest and it hurt. Was he having a heart attack? Just emotions, he was sure. Now was not the time to become a hypochondriac. He stood back to let Buffy enter.

She looked up at Angel and realized that for the first time in years she couldn't read him. She had no idea how to make this better. Before she could prostrate herself before her master, let him have his way. But now…now. She knew she still loved him, the man that he was before he lost his soul. Never stopped even though she learned to love Angelus with all her heart. They were so different in so many ways, yet so similar. Could she ever make Angel see why she did what she did? Would he ever accept her again?

"I see your brain working a mile a minute Buffy. Let's just sit and talk." Angel had to chuckle. After all the intervening years, all the experiences and his girl really hadn't changed. He quickly sobered, of course she changed. She chose to live eternity as a vampire with his demon counterpart. Could he live with that knowledge? He knew he couldn't stop loving her, but could he live with her?

"Umm, hello. Kinda think you're doing the same thing. Talk now?" She smiled a sad smile as she went to him and put her arms around his waist and laid her head upon his chest. His arms immediately went around and he pulled her close, breathing deeply of her scent. God how he missed that smell.

"Okay. Talking." He reluctantly pulled away from her and went to sit down, Buffy following him. "Okay, where do we start?" Angel was almost talking to himself.

"Do you hate me?" There was fear in Buffy's voice.

"God Buffy, I could never hate you. I just don't understand. Make me understand. I mean, here we are, mortal. After two and a half centuries, I'm human again and all I can focus on is why you would choose to live an eternity with him." There was pain in his eyes.

Looking at her hands, Buffy began to speak. "I wanted to die Angel. After you were gone all I wanted to do was just die. I began to take chances, willing someone, something to just kill me. I wanted it to end. I know they all thought I would just get over it, over you, I could hear them, 'Oh she's young, she'll get on with her life, meet someone who'll make her forget.' But I knew you were it for me, even at sixteen I knew. When we made love it was forever for me Angel. And then you were gone and Jenny Calendar told us about that little happiness clause in your curse." She looked up at him. "We would've never been able to be together and I died just a little bit more. Everyday without you I died a little bit more. And then one day I woke up and thought, 'fuck it all, if I can't have Angel I'll be with someone who looks like him and smells like him and feels like him.' And I went to Angelus, knowing more than likely he'd reject me and I'd end up having to kill him or that I'd let him kill me. But you didn't, he didn't. He took me in and he was nothing like you, not really. And that was fine, he was a substitute at first. But then, I don't know when, I began to love him for being Angelus and he began to love me. And there was a little bit of you in him whether you'll ever admit it, I saw it. I asked him to turn me, to make me immortal so I could be with him forever and never have to be a slayer ever again. I thought I would lose my soul, be like him, but I didn't. For some bizarre reason slayers don't lose their souls, but we change. It may be slight, but it's enough so that we can live a life without the guilt, without the need to be responsible. I needed that Angel. Without you I needed that." She took a deep breath and waited a moment. "When Dawn was in trouble, even though she wasn't really my sister, well my instincts kicked in and I knew I had to be there for her and Mom. And Angelus was there for me. And now, here we are." Buffy waited for his reaction.

He just looked at her and saw her pain, her fears, her hopes. "I have memories you. Of a life with you. Vague memories, but I was there. Sort of." He pulled her closer and looked deeply into her eyes. "I don't know the pain you went through, I can only imagine and I'm sorry for that. Even if I knew about the curse, I'm not sure I could've stopped myself from making love with you. My feelings, my need for you was so strong. It still is Buffy. I can't judge you, I've done some things in my life, souled and unsoled that are pretty horrific. I can't, I won't give up on us. It may take some time, but I'm willing to try. To start from here. I think I can leave the past where it is, in the past. It's over, but we need time. We both need time."

"What does that mean? Will we still be able to be together, see each other? What are you thinking?" Angel heard the frantic edge to her voice.

"Of course we will. I don't think either of us could handle not seeing each other. But I'll stay here and you should probably stay with your mom for awhile. Just while we get reacquainted. I believe we are meant to be together, forever."

"I know we are. I mean, why else would this have happened. All the powers seem to be leading us to be together. I love you and I always will, I know there is no end to that." She yawned. "God, I'm so sorry. How rude was that?"

"We're both exhausted. Let's call it a night and get some sleep. Being mortal again does have a down side it would appear. Human frailties, like our bodies needing sleep. Bummer." He smiled. "Umm, guess that only works when Xander or Willow says it. Doesn't sound quite right coming from me."

"No, not quite. But it's still awfully cute." She nuzzled his neck.

"Buffy, we can't go there. Not now, not yet." He stood up and walked over to the hallway. "You take the bed and I'll crash on the couch. Here's a clean towel in case you want to shower."

She took the towel and tried to cover her embarrassment. "Want to shower? More like desperately need to shower. Thanks. And Angel? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push things. I'm just used to…"

"I know Buffy. But it's been a long time for me and you really are irresistible. Just better to stop before we start."

"Of course. You're right. And the bed's big enough for the both of us. Really. I think we can control ourselves for one night especially when we're both so exhausted."

"I'm sure you're right." He handed her a t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants he had found in a drawer.

"Did you know all this stuff was here?" Buffy asked as she took the garments.

Angel shrugged. "Maybe, just not sure."

"We'll take it slow and easy, I promise. No pushing from the ex-slayer." Buffy gave him a small smile.

"Are you?" He asked with one brow raised.

"What?"

"An ex-slayer? Do you not feel your powers?"

Buffy hesitated. "I don't know. I really don't know."

"Guess time will tell. In all things." Angel pushed her towards the bathroom. "Go on now, we both need to shower and get some sleep. Tomorrow's looking to be a big day."

* * *


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

Willow and Cordelia, Xander and Anya, Tara and even Spike had gone to an all night diner to discuss recent events. Tara leaning a little too close to Spike for Xander's liking. Anya poked him in the ribs. "Stop glaring, he did his part and Tara seems to like him." She whispered.

"Vampire here. Can hear every word." Spike looked straight at Xander. "So what's your beef, boy? The witch and I get along quite swimmingly, and since you seem to be properly ensconced with the ex-demon I don't see how it concerns you." Spike put his arm around a very uncomfortable Tara.

"Well, she's a friend and I seem to recall human and vampire relationships eventually turn to crap." Xander was in heavy defense mode.

"Yeah, when there's a danger of one or the other losing a soul. No soul here so no worries. And if Tara isn't bothered you shouldn't be either. None of your business boy."

"Okay everyone, let's play nice. We are all really tired and we may say things we really don't mean…"

Spike interrupted Willow. "Oh, I always say what I mean. And I hardly ever get tired." He nuzzled Tara. "Right love?"

She blushed. "Can we please just not get all personal right now? What do you all think about this? Buffy and Angel being human? What does it all mean?" Tara turned to Willow. "Do you have any thoughts?"

Spike spoke up again. "I think the ex-demon was right…"

Anya interrupted Spike. "I would really appreciate it if you wouldn't refer to me as that."

"All right then, the boy's smart girlfriend?" Spike paused, giving Anya a questioning look as she nodded her approval. "Anyway, I think she had it right earlier, it's just the way of the Hellmouth and Dawn. A gift. We really don't need to look further and dissect the shit out of it."

Tara smiled up at him. She was starting to love the way he said just what he meant. That and about a dozen other things. Boy, was she in trouble. "I suppose we are searching without any real point of reference." Tara shrugged at the assembled group. "We should probably just go home and see what happens. Nothing we can really do now." She glanced at her watch. "It's almost 4am." She turned to Spike. "Do you know what time the sun comes up?"

"Soon. I guess I'll go. Not really sure I should go back to Crawford Street just yet." He drew Tara close. "Got any ideas where I could hold up 'til dusk?"

Tara laughed. "A few." She slid out of the booth, pulling Spike with her, her eyes never leaving his. "Talk to you all tomorrow. I mean later today." The two of them turned and left without another word.

"Okay. How rude was that?" Xander groused.

"Oh, you just forgot how single-minded the early stages of pure lust can be." Willow turned to Cordelia and rubbed her hand across her cheek. "Remember?"

"Two nights ago? Uh huh." Willow laughed out loud at her lover's response.

"Let's go home. It's almost tomorrow and I really am exhausted by all of it. I can't believe I'm still standing after the spell Tara and I did. And she was filled with energy, never knew what stamina the girl had." She said with admiration.

"Uh, don't marvel at her too much, jealous girlfriend here." Cordelia opened her purse and left a twenty on the table to cover the tab and pushed Willow to exit the booth as well. "Time to go."

"Okay. See you two later." She leaned over and kissed Xander on the cheek. "Relax. Things go the way they go. You should know that by now."

Xander sighed. "Yeah, guess they do. Ready to hit the road Ahn?"

"Yes please. I am so with Spike on this one. Let's just stay out of it. Buffy and Angel will have to figure out how to live their own lives. They did it once, I'm sure they can do it again."

* * *

Buffy squinted as she opened her eyes, a ray of sunlight hitting the foot of the bed. She panicked for a moment before realization hit her. Human, she and Angel, human again. She shifted slightly and reveled in the heat she felt all along the left side of her body and across her hips. Angel. She turned fully into his arms as they tightened and pulled her closer, his leg curling around her thighs. Buffy had to smile as she felt his erection push into her stomach, smile and fight the urge to encompass it in her hand. So much for control and exhaustion. She sighed and let herself relax into his embrace. Time enough for control when Angel woke up, right now she wanted to revel in his feel and his smell and his heat. She snuggled and closed her eyes.

The heat form the woman in his arms put his head and his body in turmoil. He couldn't fight his reaction to her. When he woke his first thought was of Buffy, the both of them actually, being human. Her warmth worked it's way through his body and his blood surged. He wanted her so badly, needed her. His mind told him to get out of the bed and head straight for a cold shower, but his lower extremities, well he seemed to be totally unable to control them. He'd forgotten how difficult it was as a human to fight those urges. As Angelus, he could control them he just chose not to most of the time. As Angel he felt he didn't deserve her, except for the one time. And see where that landed them. Buffy began to move against him and he felt his breathe coming in short gasps. Damnit, he thought, such a bad idea to sleep in the same bed as her. He had no control when it came to her. He rolled her on her back as she spread her legs apart and looked up into his eyes.

"It's not wrong Angle." Buffy pulled his head to hers in a deep kiss. She had worked her sweat pants off during the night, forgetting just how warm bed covers could be when you have actual body heat. Add to that the burning furnace named Angel and off came the pants, leaving her naked from the waist down. Angel pulled his boxers off and her t-shirt and laid between her legs, the heat there pulling him in of it's own accord.

"Gods Buffy." He groaned. "I need you more than I ever have." He pushed into her as she arched up to him. She lost all cohesive thought and ability to articulate. The feeling, the sensations causing moaning and mewling to escape through her throat. Angel thrust into her, trying to get as deep and as close as humanly possible. "Baby, wrap your legs around me." His voice was harsh and demanding.

"Yes, yes, please, yes." Buffy moaned as her legs tightened around him. She dug her head into his shoulder, trying to ground herself, afraid she would spiral out and away. Angel felt her spasm around him as she came in a hard rush and she screamed his name. He followed close behind, her name on his lip, as well.

Angel rolled off of her, pulling her with him. "Well, so much for control, huh?" He said breathlessly, turning on his side to looked into her flushed face. "I have none where you are concerned my love. Whatever you want, that's what I want." He nuzzled her neck and she felt tears of relief coming to her eyes. They hadn't even fought, but Buffy thought this had to be the best make-up sex ever. "Baby, you're crying. Did I hurt you?"

"No, no. Happy tears, I swear." She kissed him. "Well, the first thing I want is a huge, enormous breakfast, eggs, chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, coffee. Lots of coffee. I'm starving. And then I want to live the rest of our natural lives together, making love and maybe a few babies."

"Oh gods Buffy! We're human now, we didn't use any protection. I…I…" Angel was speechless. He felt her shrug in his arms.

"Whatever happens, happens. You love me, you forgive me…"

"Sweetheart, there's nothing to forgive. We all make choices, it's the way of life. And you did choose me."

"Whatever, I just don't care about anything but us being together. I choose us Angel. And if that means being a mom at 21, well, that's just life. But really, Angel what are the odds?"

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimers:** Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment

**Reviews:** Welcomed and appreciated

* * *

It was the first really warm day of spring. He looked out the window at the sun. He never tired of it, he was always in awe of it and of his ability to walk in it again. Walk in it with her. Angel filled two mugs with coffee and went out the back door to the porch. Handing his wife a cup, he marveled at the love her eyes held for him. Something he knew he didn't deserve, but something he would never reject. A small five year old girl ran up to him, wrapping her arms around his legs. "Daddy, pick me up."

He smiled, putting his coffee down on the redwood table and giving in to her demand. Laughing to himself, he knew he would refuse this child, his daughter, nothing.

"You spoil her." Buffy smiled at the picture they presented. "She so has you wrapped around her finger."

"Oh yeah. And you never spoil her? Please, give me a break." He rolled his eyes at his wife.

Buffy never stopped thanking the powers that be for the life she now had. A life she never expected. A life she would never take for granted. When Dawn had jumped off that platform six years ago she not only closed the portal, she gave them a life they never expected to have. She was still a slayer but more importantly a wife to her soul-mate and the mother of this precious child. They had named her Dawn, she had to be named Dawn because Buffy knew she was Dawn. She rubbed her flat stomach, knowing that in a few short months the life growing there would soon make his presence known to all, she was also sure a son would be born to them. But for the first few months, she and Angel decided to keep it to themselves. Their precious secret.

Dawn wiggled out of her father's arms and ran over to the white arch that was decorated with wild flowers and colorful streamers. "Mommy, can I please put my new dress on now? I don't want to wait until it's dark."

"Soon sweetheart, very soon." Buffy leaned into Angel's embrace. Spike and Tara were formalizing their relationship. Tara had finally convinced Spike to turn her, with Willow's assurance she would replace her soul with the help of the Orb of Thesula. Willow was quite the accomplished witch now. She and Cordelia had lived with a coven in England for a few years while Willow honed her craft and Cordelia had supported her in the endeavor, as she supported Willow in all things. So, now Tara would live an eternity with the vampire she loved with the help of all who loved her. Tara had sought out Buffy's help in convincing Spike that this was the right choice.

"_Buffy, you of all people must understand where I'm coming from with this. Please, talk to Spike. Convince him. If I knew he would eventually deal with my death, I think I could grow old with him, but I know him Buffy. He'll go all Edwardian romantic and walk out into the sun with my ashes. Please Buffy, I want to live forever with him."_

And so Buffy had convinced him. Eventually. It had taken a couple of years, but here they were. Willow would perform the handfasting tonight and afterwards, after Spike turned his lover, Willow and Cordelia would replace her soul. All very romantic and all very bizarre. Only in Sunnydale. Xander had been invited, but had refused to attend. He considered it sick and perverted. Especially after he had broken Anya's heart and she ran away to Europe with an immortal type of her own.

"So, are you ready for the ceremony?" Giles walked up behind Buffy and shook her out of her trance. She smiled up at him and gave him a hug.

"Don't know. I mean we're ready for the celebration, but I'm still frightened for Tara. And for Spike. If anything ever happens to her…well I have no idea what he'll do." She considered the older man before her. The man who had taken care of and eventually fallen in love with her mother. The man who had nursed Joyce through her first brain aneurism and had mourned for her when she had succumbed to her second. Buffy was just happy her mother had a chance to find love again and to see Dawn before she died. Buffy had conceived that first time she and Angel had made love, what were the chances? she had asked. Very good it would seem, was the answer. But it was a blessing. Joyce had fallen ill in Buffy's sixth month of pregnancy and had died when Dawnie was nine months old.

"_Buffy." Joyce turned to her daughter in awe as she held her granddaughter in her arms. "She's Dawn. Did you know?"_

_Buffy smiled at her mother, "I suspected. It's only right, don't you think?"_

"_Yes, only right." Joyce's eyes never leaving the little girl in her arms._

"I'm just glad you could make it. Did you bring Olivia with you?" Buffy looked behind Giles, searching for his wife.

"No, not this time. I'll be flying back to England in a few days and she didn't want to take time off work for just a short trip. We'll be back for a longer visit. Promise." Giles sat down as Angel handed him a cup of tea. Setting it down just in time as Dawn threw herself at him.

"Missed you grandpa!" She burrowed her head in his neck.

"Missed you too, poppet." Giles smiled up at the couple.

"Funny isn't it? How life works it's way without us realizing." Angel was very pensive tonight. The turning of Tara taking him back several years to Buffy's own turning. Angelus had no qualms, but Spike, his 'soulless' grandchilde took years to convince.

"Where is your mind tonight husband?" Buffy took his hand in hers.

He shrugged and looked into her eyes. "It just amazes me where our choices take us. How they take us." He looked over at Giles as he nodded in agreement, smoothing Dawn's hair.

Buffy smiled. "We shouldn't never second guess sweetheart. Ours took us here and that's all that matters. I would do it all again Angel. I would always choose you."

He smiled at his wife and pulled her close. "And I you, my love. I will always choose you."

The End

* * *


End file.
